West Ham’s security staff will inspect fan zones ahead of Europa Conference League final

West Ham security staff will visit Prague later this week to inspect fan zones being prepared by UEFA for next month’s Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina amidst concerns they will be too small to accommodate the thousands of ticketless supporters intending to travel. 

The club have yet to be informed of the capacity of the two fan zones being constructed in the Czech capital, while UEFA would only tell Mail Sport that at previous events they have varied in size from housing a few hundred fans to several thousand at last year’s Champions League final in Paris.

As many as 25,000 ticket-less fans are expected to descend on Prague for the final on 7 June, as West Ham and Fiorentina have been given just 4,890 tickets for the 20,000 capacity Fortuna Arena, leading to fears of a security nightmare. 

In addition to inspecting the fan zones West Ham staff will also hold talks with local police over how the so-called ring of steel around the stadium will be enforced, as well as seeking to identity other areas of the city where their fans can congregate together in safety.

Mail Sport revealed yesterday that 10,000 police officers will be drafted into Prague from all over the Czech Republic next month, with fears of trouble magnified by the attack on West Ham fans by AZ Alkmaar hooligans at last week’s semi-final second-leg in Holland. 

UEFA have also called an emergency meeting for this Friday involving Britain’s National Police Chiefs’ Council, Scotland Yard, Italian and Prague police.

West Ham will send security staff to fan zones in Prague ahead of their Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina on June 7 

Security were forced to intervene during West Ham’s visit to AZ Alkmaar, when a group of home fans invaded the away supporters section