Croatia watch parties among largest in Europe for Euro 2024

(Photo credit: M. Tomaš/Zagreb Tourist Board)

Euro 2024 will be spectacular in Germany, but also in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where a larger number of Croats live. 

There has been tremendous interest from fans; many couldn’t manage to buy tickets for Euro 2024, but they’ll still be able to experience the Euro atmosphere in a local way. 

The Mi Hrvati fan club has announced that they are organizing public viewing of matches in Zagreb at Ban Josip Jelačić Square, as well as in Kolur-Zvončac in Split. 

They also hope to reach an agreement with Osijek as well, so that the Euro can be followed in the same manner in Slavonia, Sportske novosti reported.

The city of Zagreb has provided them with a free stage and production. The stage will be located east of Manduševac, and they will also organize entertainment programs with 16 concerts. The stage will be 10 by 8 meters, just like last year during the Nations League. 

It will stand from June 14th until the final on July 14th, and as the organizers hope, it would be perfect if it had to stay for the reception on July 15th.

In Split, the matches will be watched on the West Bank, where space has been granted by individuals who hold it under concession from the city. The plan is to watch the matches in Osijek at the Holy Trinity Square as well, but negotiations are still ongoing… In addition to that, public viewing of matches in Croatia will take place in Mostar, Ljubuški, and Žepče. All three cities have provided public spaces for free use.

Croatian fan zones will be among the largest in Europe and Asia, where the Euro will be watched live outside of Germany. Similar events are being organized in Brussels, Antwerp, Mons, Copenhagen, Oslo, Geneva, Vienna, Budapest, London, Glasgow, Brighton, Lisbon, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi.

The Croatian Football Federation will not participate in the organization of fan zones during UEFA Euro 2024 due to marketing conditions set by UEFA, according to the official website of the Croatian Football Federation.

At last week’s UEFA workshop, marketing-commercial conditions for the organization of fan zones for national associations were clarified until the end, both within the territory of Germany and in their own countries, after which the HNS decided not to participate in the organization of fan zones.

“We regret this outcome because we wanted, with the support of our business partners, to offer fans an alternative to the official UEFA fan zones, but considering UEFA’s conditions that prevent the participation of our partners and sponsors, such a project became unfeasible for us, while understanding and respecting UEFA’s stance in wanting to protect its commercial partners,” said Ante Cicvarić, HNS marketing manager.

During the Euro, UEFA organizes a fan festival in all host cities, part of which will be the usual fan zones. All information about fan festivals in all cities can be found HERE, so we invite all Croatian fans to find out about events in Berlin, Hamburg, and Leipzig, as well as other host cities they plan to visit during the Euro.

For the same reasons, HNS will not participate in the organization of fan zones in Croatian cities.

“We had the best intentions to offer UEFA and host cities an additional gathering place for Croatian fans because we expect them in large numbers, but commercially and marketing-wise, it is not feasible, so we cannot participate in the organization of fan zones in Germany or Croatia. 

The fact is that UEFA and host cities will have excellently organized fan zones where our fans can have fun, enjoy, watch matches, socialize, and feel safe. At the same time, I believe that Croatian cities will choose reliable and quality partners for organizing fan zones here, as it has been in past competitions because this Euro will undoubtedly generate exceptional interest among citizens throughout Croatia,” said Jurica Jurjević, head of prevention, security, and integrity at HNS.