Date
20 May 2026
Client
UEFA
Attendees
33,000+ visitors (Freiburg Fan Zone: 15,000 / Aston Villa Fan Zone: 18,000)
Location
Istanbul, Türkiye – Beşiktaş Barbaros Square & Taksim Gezi Park
- about the project
The Challenge
On the day of the UEFA Europa League Final in Istanbul, UEFA required dedicated Fan Meeting Points for both finalist clubs — SC Freiburg and Aston Villa — at two of the city’s most logistically demanding locations: Beşiktaş Barbaros Square on the Bosphorus waterfront, and Taksim Gezi Park in the city center. The challenge was to deliver two simultaneous fan experiences, each distinct to its club’s identity, while meeting the same high safety and production standards across both sites on match day.
Our Approach
We delivered turnkey event management and production services across both Fan Meeting Points:
- Complete infrastructure and branding: stages, live match broadcast, LED screens, team and sponsor activations, fan experience zones, guest facilities, tents, and F&B operations
- Site-specific design tailored to each host club’s identity and each location’s character — from the waterside setting at Barbaros Square to the park setting at Taksim Gezi Park
- Comprehensive safety and logistics planning, including risk planning, accreditation, security, traffic, and crowd management
- A curated entertainment program featuring football-themed interactive activities, fan experiences, family activities, live music, and DJ performances
- Outcome
The Impact
Together, the two Fan Meeting Points welcomed more than 33,000 supporters on match day, giving fans of both finalist clubs a safe, dynamic, and engaging space to gather on the day of the final. The parallel delivery of two large-scale branded fan environments — on opposite sides of the city — was executed seamlessly within a tight timeline.
Services Provided
- Full turnkey event management and dual-site production
- Infrastructure and branding: stages, live match broadcast, LED screens, team and sponsor activations, tents and guest facilities
- Fan experience design: interactive football activities, family activities, live music and DJ performances
- Risk planning, accreditation, security, traffic and crowd management
- Food & beverage operations and guest hospitality
- On-site staffing and technical crews for both Fan Meeting Points