The European Handball Championship is set to kick off on Wednesday at the renowned “Merkur Spiel Arena” in Dusseldorf, expecting to draw over 50,000 fans. However, organizers face an unforeseen challenge—a strike by train drivers.

Workers from “Deutsche Bahn” have declared a strike starting Wednesday at 2 a.m. and concluding Friday at 6 p.m., which poses significant obstacles for fans trying to reach the stadium.

As a major championship sponsor, German Railways had plans for certain national teams to travel by train for matches and training sessions, but those arrangements are now in jeopardy.

The European Handball Federation (EHF) and the German Handball Association (DHB) are urging fans to arrive at matches ahead of time.

“Deutsche Bahn, as the EHF Euro’s official carrier, has developed an exceptional timetable featuring extended trains to accommodate as many people as possible. This includes teams, officials, and other individuals directly associated with the championship. Approximately 20 percent of standard train routes will remain operational. Fans should account for extra time when traveling on the opening day in Dusseldorf, as well as for matches on January 11 and 12 in Berlin, Mannheim, and Munich,” shared the EHF and DHB in a joint statement.

Montenegro will kick off its European Championship campaign on Friday, January 12, against Hungary in Munich.

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