Get me to the Euros! How to nab last-minute tickets for a summer of football

Get me to the Euros! How to nab last-minute tickets for a summer of football

Rosemary McCabe
BBC Designed image of two football players, one from the England team and one from the Welsh team. In the background there is a football pitch and a mountain. BBC

A fierce summer of competition and fantastic football will be a result of Euro 2025.

Between 2 and 27 July, 16 teams will play in eight venues in Switzerland. Wales, the country’s first international competition, take on defending champions England in the group stages.

There are still tickets for a number of games, as well as fan zones in Switzerland and the UK.

Do you still have tickets?

Banner with green and purple colours. There are images of two tickets on a phone, one England footballer and one Welsh footballer.

Yes, but hurry to reserve your seat.

Tickets for popular matches can be purchased daily at 10:00 BST on UEFA’s ticketing website, with a maximum of 10 per game per person. The final costs 90 CHF (roughly £81), with starting prices at 25 CHF (roughly £22).

In Switzerland, where?

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Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St Gallen, Lucerne, Sion, and Thun will host the tournament in eight of Switzerland’s cities. Thun will host the action on Wednesday, July 2 at 17:00 BST. Enjoy a picturesque lake and mountain backdrop.

Zurich and St. Gallen will host England matches in the group stages. On Saturday, July 5, the Lionesses take on France in Zurich, and on Wednesday, July 9, the Netherlands will take on France.

Then, on Sunday, July 13, we travel to St Gallen for the crucial England v. Wales game.

A map of Switzerland with three highlighted locations - Zurich, St Gallen and Lucerne

Where can I go there?

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On a one-way ticket from London to Zurich on July 2nd, prices start at between £50 and £70. Over the weekend, tickets start getting more expensive, with about £150 plus for a direct one-way flight. The most direct flights starting from Manchester on July 5 cost about $ 200. The cost is even higher in Cardiff.

Because Lucerne and St. Gallen are only a short train ride away, Zurich is the ideal place for England and Wales fans to travel to. Additionally, you can travel to Bern or Geneva from there.

From London to Zurich in the car, it takes about 11 hours. For a one-way trip, the cost of the car ferry from Dover to Calais is around £85 on the day of the trip, and it will cost you around £100 on the day of the trip. On July 2 and 5, the cost of taking the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais is between £140 and £270.

Between seven and a half and ten hours, trains from Paris or Brussels cost between £310 and £530. Cheaper coaches start out around £70 on some routes. However, it takes more than 20 hours to travel.

Between London and Zurich, it takes between 52 and 60 hours to cycle very long. If you don’t factor in the toll your legs will take on your legs, taking your bike on a ferry costs between £23 and £30.

What do I do to stay?

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Switzerland is renowned for its pricey vacation options. However, there are a variety of lodging choices to suit all budgets.

Zurich is a popular destination because it is one of the main tournament locations. On important matchday nights like Saturday, July 5, hotel prices range from £210 to £300 per night for two people. Prices for Airbnb start at £70 to £200 per night, but many options include renting a room instead of a whole apartment.

Hotels in St. Gallen start at between £200 and £600 for Sunday, July 13th. There are already a lot of places booked. Additionally, the town offers a variety of Airbnb options, with prices ranging from £50 to £800 for the same dates. It’s still worth checking these locations because there are some places where you can stay in the community.

How can I navigate?

Banner with purple and green colours. There's an image of a train on one side and a bus on the other.
With quick and dependable transportation between major cities in Switzerland, there are strong public transportation networks. Public transportation is free for ticket holders on game days. For a second-class round trip between any Swiss city and the stadium, every ticket will be valid on the day of the game.

The extensive train network in Switzerland provides a safe, scenic way of transportation. On their website, the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) offers a variety of different tickets. Postbus, a bus service that connects rural areas to urban centers, also has hundreds of journeys available through various apps, as well as station and driver purchases.

A Swiss Travel Pass is valid for three, four, six, eight, or fifteen consecutive days if you want to stay for a longer period of time.

Where can I locate fan areas?

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In each of the eight cities where Euro 2025 games are being played, there will be city center fan zones. Organisers have created a “packed schedule of activities for all ages” with live performances of games, concerts, workshops, and kid-friendly football pitches.

The ZüriFanzone will be right next to the main station in Zurich, where all the matches, concerts, and workshops will be shown. The fan zone will feature lunchtime panel discussions, street football, and live music in St. Gallen’s Old Town’s Marktgasse. The fan zone, which is located in Lucerne, is next to Lake Lucerne and offers a variety of music, concerts, and football entertainment.

Getty Images Two children standing next to Euro 2025 Mascot Maddli. Getty Images

Should I know anything else?

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The Swiss Franc (CHF) is Switzerland’s official currency. It’s roughly 1.10 Swiss Francs for every pound. You can usually also pay in Euros. The value of a pound is roughly €1 .

German, French, Italian, and Romansh are the four official languages of Switzerland. German is the most widely used language in Switzerland, but many people also speak English as a second language.

In the UK, where can I watch?

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How can I play video games at home?

Banner with green and purple colours. There are images of people cheering and watching football on the TV.

The final game will be broadcast on both BBC and ITV, with all other UK games being available on either.

Gabby Logan, Alex Scott, and Jeanette Kwakye will be presenting live from the 16 matches that will be broadcast on BBC One, BBC Two, and iPlayer. On BBC One, this includes England vs. Wales vs. ITV will broadcast France, France, England, Wales, and France.

Throughout the entire tournament, there will be broadcasts of BBC Sounds, Radio 5 Live, and Radio 5 Sports Extra. Wales’ games are covered by BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru, with English and Welsh commentary provided.

Live match reports, clips, highlights, interviews, and analysis will be broadcast on the BBC Sport website, app, and social media.

Source: BBC

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