As the 2024 European Football Championship launches this week in Germany, it is not only the final scores that are set to have fans on the edge of their seats. New research into the driving experiences of fans across Europe has revealed that on regular match days over one third (36%) consider finding somewhere to park close to the stadiums a key stressor. 

The findings – following research amongst driving football fans from the global parking solution provider EasyPark Group – reveal that a quarter (23%) of football fans have had to spend over 20 minutes searching for a space on game days. One in ten (10%) have been forced to drive around looking for at least 30 minutes. 

And it’s not just finding parking spaces that is causing problems. Almost one sixth (16%) have had to leave a match ahead of the final whistle because their parking was going to run out. Nearly a fifth (17%) have received a fine by experiencing the same situation but choosing to stay. 

Almost three quarters (70%) of European football fans said they would consider attending the Euros this summer to see their footballing heroes in action. Two fifths (37%) plan to travel to Germany by car, causing potential congestion headaches for hosting cities. 

“With the 2024 Euros just around the corner, cities such as Berlin and Hamburg are set to see a significant boost in footfall, which will impact the livability of the cities. There will also be an increased number of cars on the road and, as a result, parking could prove to be a challenge for residents and fans. Events such as this truly highlight the importance of having an effective traffic management infrastructure in place; one built on both technology and data. The insights gathered from mobility solutions could help cities to prepare for busier periods and implement changes that make life easier for drivers whilst ensuring the spaces they occupy to stay livable,”  said Cameron Clayton, CEO of Easypark Group.

Amongst the European countries, Spanish fans with a car are most likely to travel for their team, with 91% considering to watch some of the games live in Germany this summer. In contrast, fans from the United Kingdom are most likely to stay home, with just over half (52%) planning to attend.

Europe’s ‘best’ drivers
The data also revealed which football fans consider themselves to be the ‘best drivers’ in Europe. Spain came out on top, with 43% of those surveyed considering themselves to be ‘extremely good’ drivers. France trailed behind, with only 15% rating themselves in the same category. 

As is often the case, the data highlights that perception and reality can vary. Even though 94% of those surveyed considered themselves ‘good’ drivers, almost a third admitted that they do not use their indicators regularly (31%) or pay attention to road signs (32%). Meanwhile, a quarter of football fans (25%) have had one or more speeding fines. In Austria (50%) and Germany (48%) this figure doubles, with half of those surveyed having been caught travelling above the legal limit. 

Methodology
To source the results for this research, EasyPark surveyed 11,000 adults (aged 18 and up) through Censuswide in May 2024. The respondents were both drivers and football fans. The research was conducted across the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, France and Austria.