Germany is preparing to host Euro 2024 – a football tournament that will see 24 teams compete in 51 games on 22 match days.

It kicks off on June 14th in Munich with hosts Germany taking on Scotland and ends a month later on July 14th.

Security is a huge factor for the event and the government said last year that border checks would be tightened during the competition. Millions of visitors from all over the world are expected in Germany at the stadiums and fan zones across the Bundesrepublik. 

What do I need to know about the border checks?

On Friday June 7th, border checks were tightened and temporary controls were brought into force ahead of the event 

Federal police will be stepping up checks at all German borders, including temporary controls at Denmark, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg where there were previously no checks.

According to the Interior Ministry, travellers from the Schengen zone may also be checked during air travel, at ports and on trains. The controls will be carried out “flexibly and depending on the situation”, the ministry said.

Travellers should be prepared for possible longer waiting times at borders – and they should carry valid ID and any travel documents they need to enter Germany. 

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What are the checks for?

As you would expect, a massive sporting event like the Euros requires tactical planning around keeping people safe. 

There will be tight security at stadiums where matches are being played as well as the extra border controls where police want to stop potential offenders from entering in the first place. 

Authorities are on high alert for the possibility of terror attacks and general violence. 

“Our focus ranges from the threat of Islamist terror to hooligans and cyber attacks,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in a statement.

“The federal police will protect Germany’s borders, airports and rail traffic.”

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Existing controls at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland were recently extended by six months until mid-December.

These were first ordered by the Interior Ministry in October 2023 due to a surge in so-called irregular migration, and have been extended several times. 

The aim is to combat people smuggling and limit the number of people entering Germany illegally. Border controls at the German-Austrian land border have been in place since autumn 2015.

When do the temporary controls expire?

The temporary controls at all German internal Schengen borders, such as with France, will last until July 19th – a few days after the final match on July 14th at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Faeser recently said that the security situation was “tense” amid increased terror attacks in Europe. 

However, authorities have stressed that there are no indications of any planned attacks in Germany during Euro 2024.

Police unions say that local security forces are well equipped to protect the public during the championship. But there will still be some help from abroad. 

During the tournament around 580 police officers from neighbouring countries will be deployed along with German officers, particularly for patrols at the venues and on trains. 

According to the ministry, this is part of a special co-operation mission with the security authorities of the participating, neighbouring and possible transit countries. The International Police Cooperation Centre (IPCC) in Neuss (North Rhine-Westphalia) has been coordinating this.