German Football fans hope €49 nationwide travel ticket boosts attendances

A football fan group believes the introduction of a €49 travel ticket across Germany will boost attendances as more away supporters decide to go to games, reported dpa.

The ticket for rail and local transport went on sale on Monday and is a response to rising costs. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the idea was the "right modernization project for Germany." High-speed rail is not included in the ticket.

Jost Peter, chairman of the fan alliance Unsere Kurve, told dpa: "It is quite conceivable that the Germany ticket could be interesting for fans travelling away from home in the medium and long term, especially for journeys that are not so far away."

However, he criticized football authorities for the timing of matches, which may lead to environment-conscious Germans making difficult decisions.

"The early and late kick-off times are often also an argument for having to switch to the high-speed train or the car," he said.