Before Euro 2024 kicks off in Germany this June, the U.K. government has something other than fair play on its mind: keeping its enthusiastic citizens out of trouble.
About half a million football fans from England and Scotland are expected to travel to Germany for the event, and U.K. officials are already voicing their concern about the spectators’ alcohol intake. Anticipating the rowdy crowds, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) released official guidance urging people to “drink responsibly” and “respect local laws” during the games. The advice also warned that fans might not be let into the stadium if they are visibly intoxicated.
The FCDO alluded to the fact that German beer can be stronger than beer in the U.K. — but are the brews from these countries really all that different? In the U.K., a lager tends to measure in at around 4.4 percent ABV, while in Germany beers are typically 4.7 to 5.4 percent ABV. While this is a small jump, it could still make an impact over long days of drinking.
British soccer fans are already a passionate bunch, but tensions and expectations are particularly high this year as England currently stands as the favorite to win the tournament.
Hopefully this heads-up about stronger brews will help thwart extra hijinx at the games to come, but let’s be real: nothing comes between Europeans and their teams.