Nottingham Forest have been drawn to play Fenerbahce in the Europa League playoff round in what could turn out to be the club's final couple of games in Europe for the foreseeable future.
The Reds' only hope of qualifying for any kind of European competition next season is to win the Europa League this season, but they will start the tie against the Turkish giants as the underdogs.
For Nottingham Forest fans, if this is to be their final European away match for some time, then what a draw it is. Istanbul has long been a bucket list away day for many British football fans, but is its reputation still accurate?
If you are concerned about how safe the city is, then hopefully, we have all the answers you need below.
Is Istanbul safe for travelling football fans?
General safety
Istanbul is generally considered a safe city to visit, but for football fans, the situation is slightly different. There have been multiple incidents in the past (more on this shortly) where local hooligans have targeted English fans and attacked them.
Fans are advised to avoid certain areas, depending on which team their club is facing. For example, if you are in Istanbul to see your club take on Galatasaray, then you should avoid Taksim Square. However, if your club are playing Fenerbahce, then this is somewhere that you will find allies.
The general rules around a visit to Istanbul are to stick together in groups and avoid wearing anything that will identify you as an English football supporter.
Fenerbahçe 🆚 Nottingham Forest 🤤#UELdraw pic.twitter.com/ZuqhBG8ms4
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) January 30, 2026
Previous incidents
The darkest incident for English football fans in Istanbul came in April 2000 when Leeds played Galatasaray in the UEFA Cup semi-finals. In the build-up to the match, two Leeds supporters were tragically stabbed to death by Galatasaray ultras in a clash between both sets of fans.
There have been other incidents, albeit not as tragic, in the years before and since Leeds' visit to Istanbul. For a period, English fans were escorted from the runway upon arrival in Istanbul to the stadium of whichever team they were facing to avoid them spending any time in the city centre.
Alcohol laws
Alcohol is widely available in bars, pubs, restaurants, and shops in Istanbul, although buying it inside the stadiums is not usually possible. Still, given its reputation, it would be advised not to take drinking to the extreme in Istanbul, as it is important to have your wits about you at all times.