German police are set to deploy a large force of 2,500 officers to secure the highly anticipated Euro 2024 match between Germany and Hungary on Wednesday. The Stuttgart police headquarters informed the German Press Agency (dpa) that strict separation of fans from both sides will be enforced on their way to and inside the stadium.
The match is among several classified as high-risk by both the police and UEFA, primarily due to the expected presence of a large number of Hungarian fans, known for their history of hooliganism.
In a statement, the police emphasized the "high risk of clashes" and warned that any disturbances "will be forcefully suppressed by police forces." The statement further added, "The police are prepared with strong forces to intervene quickly and decisively to calm the situation early on."
Approximately 20,000 Hungarian fans are expected to be in Stuttgart for the match. However, Hungary's first game, a 3-1 loss to Switzerland in Cologne last Saturday, passed peacefully without any incidents of hooliganism.
Germany and Hungary previously met in the group stage of the last European Championship (Euro 2020), resulting in a 2-2 draw. That match saw some Hungarian fans displaying anti-LGBTQ+ banners.
The police are securing the month-long European Championship with a massive security operation, involving 22,000 federal police officers on duty daily throughout the tournament, in addition to federal police personnel.
