Euro 2024 fan park closes during Germany-Denmark knockout tie as weather spoils party
Fans react as the Westfalenpark fan park is closed during the match (The Independent)
A fan park full of German football fans was closed in the middle of their nation’s Euro 2024 encounter with Denmark as a thunderstorm hit.
Around 13,000 people had packed into Westfalenpark in Dortmund to watch Germany in the last-16 knockout tie, when they were told to leave after around half an hour of play.
“The event has ended,” a statement read on giant screens, as fans booed the announcement. “Please leave the premises in peace.”
Boos rang out around the park before fans flooded out on to surrounding streets.
The match itself was suspended soon afterwards as lightning struck the stadium, just across the city, and hail stones hit the pitch.
Referee Michael Oliver took the players off the pitch with just over 30 minutes having been played and the score 0-0.
“Due to adverse weather conditions, the match has been suspended,” screens inside the stadium read.
The match resumed after a 24-minute delay once the storm had eased.