Euros chaos as Albanian football hooligans ‘arrive in Germany’

Hooligans and neo-Nazis are planning to disrupt the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany, the Express can reveal.

Using encrypted messaging platforms that hide their identity, groups of hardcore fans are already discussing activities during the competition.

In messages on the app Telegram, members of Albanian ultra group The Ilyrian Elite claim to have travelled to the streets of Germany, despite being blocked from buying tickets by their national association, and shared pictures Nazi saluting with burning flares.

On pro-hooligan channels, such as Hooligans.cz which shares videos of fan fights, there is anticipation that a summer of violence is in store. These chat groups are also populated by many far-right activists who are also hoping to use the tournament to promote their hateful ideologies.

Users from Poland and Germany responded to a post on Hooligans.cz about the start of the competition by suggesting “Europeans united and target Muslims in Berlin” as well as “n*****rs and k**es”. Other users responded with images of Mussolini and Nazi SS logos.

Local fascists meanwhile claimed to be “getting creative” to bypass rules banning German national team shirt printing that resembles Nazi SS insignia with images of a football shirt with ‘44 Adolfo’ on it.

However, experts in football fan culture such as Dr Stefan Lawrence, a senior lecturer in sport business management at Leeds Beckett University pointed out the vast majority of fans would cheer on their teams with no issues.

“While the Euros are a hotbed of passion and rivalry, which may create a potential for violence, it’s crucial to remember that the majority of fans who attend these games are there to enjoy the sport peacefully,” he said.

“Thus, attributing any violence simply to football or a particular rivalry between nations would simplifies a complex issue.

“When clashes do occur they are often influenced by a mix of specific factors, such as the local environment, historical tensions, and how media portray these encounters.”

In addition to the threat of hooligan violence, German police have raised concerns that terrorists may target the competition following the brutal murder of a police officer in the city of Mannheim.

Ahead of the tournament, Germany’s friendly with Ukraine was interrupted by a security threat which reportedly saw fans locked in the venue for around an hour after the final whistle.

Euro 2024 kicks off next Friday with a clash between the hosts and Scotland in Munich.

England begins its campaign against Serbia in Gelsenkirchen next Sunday at 8pm and the city is anticipating a massive influx of fans for the game.