Planning a trip to Germany to watch the football

Any hop over to the Continent to take in some footie should ideally begin with a glance at the Bundesliga Fixture List for 2021/2022, along with a little mental voodoo as to when you predict your boss may, in fact, allow you to take leave.

Next up, send that WhatsApp to a trusty wingman or woman who loves beer, and the game, with as much passion as you do, but is also relatively chilled to travel with. Convince them to come along by assuring them that their Bundesliga betting returns will be infinitely more trustworthy once they’ve experienced their favorite players or teams in action this season. After all, you can’t bet indefinitely on your most astute commentator’s take on these matters, no matter how intelligent his or her take may be.

Deutsche Fußball background

The Bundesliga (or Deutsche Fußball Liga) is a professional association football league in Germany, comprising 18 teams and operating on a system of promotion and relegation. Seasons run from August to May, and most games are played on Saturdays and Sundays (Yay, to those with only a weekend pass from work or your partner). And, in case you were wondering, as of 24 August 2021, the league is celebrating its – very impressive – 58th birthday!

Never visited Germany before? How about checking out a few of the websites specializing in football tours – such as Number1-footballtravel.com, Gosporttravel.com, or Grownuptravelguide.com. Invest in your first trip with just one of the above, in the same way you would with an introduction to Europe via Contiki as a young traveler. You’ll soon be sorted to book your own travel and accommodation for big football matches in the future.

But before we get into what the Über alles overlap between Bundesliga and Oktoberfest may have offered in late September to early October, let’s just keep in mind that Oktoberfest was not deemed safe in 2020 to 2021, so that booking is probably best for 2022 and beyond. For what remains of 2021, it’s probably wise to make your booking depending on the matches you’re most keen on, and overlap with the German cities you’re most interested in exploring. A double whammy of the very best value.

Brave it with the best in mind

According to Number1-footballtravel.com, their four most popular football trips to Germany are those to Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Hertha BSC and Schalke 04. So, how about checking out if you can include these locations, and the games being played there, in any tour you book to the German nation. The incredible thing about this website is that no booking fees apply. The price you see for your game of choice (or combo thereof), accommodation and transport/flights is the price you will pay – no add-ons! As an aside, another benefit of making your booking here, is that you can return, again, to book an England, Italy, Spain or another European footie-related travel tour in the foreseeable future.

In general, Bundesliga promises affordable tickets and a party atmosphere – which was what enticed Stephen Barry when he wrote: “Your guide to the football trip of a lifetime, on a budget” for the Irish Examiner. If you like Barry’s personal writing style, try flying into Cologne and taking in these fixtures: “Cologne at home on Friday, Schalke on Saturday, and league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday. The alternative choice is a combination of Borussia Dortmund, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Bayer Leverkusen. Between them, they make up five of the Bundesliga’s eight best clubs for average attendances, with the first four effectively full for every game”. For those of us with a true sense of adventure, Russia has some exhilarating spots worth watching futbol.

While prices may have risen in recent times, the flight costs Barry paid give a fair indication of what you’ll be required to fork out: €41 return Aer Lingus (Dublin to Cologne); while the most expensive game tickets are approximately €65 (i.e. against Bayern), while many others clock in at considerably less. Score!

Sidestep personal pressure

Sure, many hotshot executives are going on trips like this. Single? No strings attached? Take the helicopter and stay in a five-star hotel with a Thai masseuse. A high earner with kids at expensive schools and a less-than-supportive partner? You’ll want the weekend, or the entire tour, to be easy on your pocket. In this instance, try sneaking Mark Staniforth’s historical “How a day watching football in Germany is cheaper than a Premier League ticket” past your partner. Or argue the passion you feel for the game, versus how inexpensive it is to take a train to the game from wherever you may be located in Europe, for work at the end of Friday.

On another note, are you au fait with the Bundesliga Anthem for 2021/2022? If not, listen here. Then it’s time to get psyched. Paraphernalia? Ordered! Tickets? Booked! Accommodation? Secured! You’ll be the envy of everyone in your (virtual) office.

If anyone gives you stick on prices, just inform them of the rate paid by Wolfsburg in their pre-match quarantine hotel last year. €460 per person per night? My giddy uncle Jürgen. Anyhow, do you really care? You’re going, and they’re not. The party/excitement/freedom is rising.

Get in on the action

As you count down the days, you may feel like you’re about to play in the league, the head rush is so intense. And, yeah, there are lessons to be learned from the German football league: they’re hardworking, dedicated, proud, goal-driven, innovative, flexible, focused, humble and determined. Imagine if you had a team like that gunning for your every decision at work.

This league’s popularity and success is the reason you, and so many others, are jumping on a plane right about now to witness them in action, in the flesh. “Achtung, baby!”