Officials now reckon 200,000 Scotland fans will invade Germany for Euro 2024

Diplomats in Germany are now working on the basis that the Tartan Army will be 200,000-strong when it arrives for the Euro Championships a month from now.

It was thought that the chief executive of the Scottish Football Association was erring on the optimistic side when he declared 100,000 footsoldiers would make their way to Munich, Cologne and Stuttgart.

But officials at the British Embassy in Munich have now told the BBC that they calculate one fifth of a million fans intend to travel. This is based on a survey of travel plans and accommodation provision in the three cities, including hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs.

The British Consul General in Munich, Mark Dittmer-Odell said: “We are estimating that 500,000 fans will travel from the UK and up to 200,000 could be Scotland fans.”

READ MORE: Significant terrorism fears raised ahead of Euro 2024 as Tartan Army told to be on their guard

It is 26 years since Scotland has competed at a major foreign football tournament and a generation of supporters has yet to experience it. On Tuesday, the silverware they will contest, the Henri Delaunay Cup, completed its tour across Germany when it arrived in Munich. It is in the Bavarian city where Scotland will enjoy the honour of opening the tournament against the hosts on June 14.

Hamish Husband, of the West of Scotland Tartan Army, said: ”We had been working on the assumption that 100,000 Scotland fans were heading for Germany this summer. But now that the British Embassy is saying it could be 200,000 we have to take that as the official view.

“The fans who went to the World Cup in France ’98 have been desperate to sample the experience once more. And a generation of Scotland fan who have never been to a major foreign tourney think it could be our last for 26 years. We have a golden generation of player in Tierney, McGinn and Robertson so the stars are aligned for the Euros this summer.

“There’s a convoy of camper vans going and the Peterhead Tartan Army have booked a cruise down the Rhine. It’s going to be unbelievable.”

Plane tickets sold out within hours of the draw being made last December though some airlines have now laid on extra flights to cope with the soaring demand.

Ryanair flight for £91

Low-cost carrier Ryanair have just announced an evening flight from Glasgow to Memmingen the day before the game for £91. The city is just 72 miles from Munich. With a return with Ryanair for just £14.99 the day after the game, it means fans can reach Bavaria for a short visit for little over £100.

The new numbers will provide a logistical nightmare for German Police. Only 10,000 Scots have tickets for each match and it was hoped supporters would choose to attend a fan zone in each city centre where they could watch the game on big screens. But whether they can cope with home supporters and huge numbers of visitors will occupy planning meetings in the next four weeks.

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