What is UEFA Champions League?

For the uninitiated, the UEFA Champions League is an annual competition organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) since 1955 for the top football clubs
in Europe.

It all starts with a group stage of 32 teams, divided into eight groups, playing in a round-robin format. The group stage is played through the autumn, then the knockout stage starts
after a winter break. The knockout ties are played in two-game sets until only two teams are left standing to battle it
out in a final match. This season, the final will be held on
May 25 in London at Wembley Stadium in front of 90,000 spectators.

Love isn’t always free.

Gallivanting across Europe to support your team takes a lot of dedication. But it also takes a lot of money — approximately $10,000. Research from hotel.info has revealed the true cost of success based on reigning champ Chelsea’s run by calculating the average costs accrued for fans following on the road to victory. Here’s the breakdown:

The game is at another level — and so are the fans.

The UEFA Champions League embodies the sport as it was intended, showcasing the game at some of the highest levels around. To the diehards, the soccer purists, and the fanatics, these games border on a religious experience. The pitch is sacred ground. Replica jerseys are like holy robes. The venues, shrines. And for the lucky fans with the passion, the resources, and the intestinal fortitude, attending matches (especially away games) is like going on cross-continental pilgrimages. You don’t see too many Seattle football or baseball fans following their team around the U.S. for their team’s away games. Simply put, the league — and the love for it — is at another level and so are its fans. See what it takes for the truly devoted to support their team and country.

Braving the elements.

Ever been in St. Petersburg during a snowstorm? Or experienced a windy mid-winter night in Donetsk? Now try it while sitting in the stands for 90-plus minutes. Remember, this is a winter sport, and travelling to Green Bay winter-like conditions isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. For some, it’s a lot more enjoyable to take in the match from a stool at a local pub. But for the fanatical, the passion melts away the frostbite. When in St. Petersburg, do like the locals and wear a full-body fur coat.

Not everyone hablan Inglés.

It’s not like a New York fan going down to Atlanta for a playoff game. People don’t just talk funny, they speak a whole other language. Cómo say what? Sure, everyone speaks the language of soccer, but with 53 countries participating in UEFA, and almost as many languages, there are bound to be a few barriers. Getting around is difficult at best. Fans need to figure out transit, lodging, restaurants, and, most important, pubs.

Keep your hands and missiles to yourselves.

Sometimes things get heated. Tempers flare. And away fans start setting off fireworks and throwing them in the stands during the game. Visiting Montpellier fans thought that it was perfectly reasonable at a recent match against the Greek-side Olympiacos. Turned out to be a perfectly good way to get fined and even banned from future matches. If you’re with a club with a history of fan violence, that’s another great way to get banned. Like Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb fans, for example. They weren’t allowed to attend their team’s Group A game at Paris Saint-Germain due to a French ministerial order that revealed Croatian authorities had warned that some “150 to 200 violent Dinamo Zagreb fans, known as ‘Blue Bad Boys,’” were planning to travel to Paris.

Ever see a grown man cry? You will.

Trekking fans must steel themselves. Never underestimate the powers of emotion, especially where so much passion lives. The match will end. There will be a result. Emotional breakdown is upon you. The depression can drown you, and the joy…well, let’s just say it’s enough to bring grown men to tears. Even famous grown men. Singer Rod Stewart, whose love for the game runs deep, was spotted all wet-eyed by the reporters after his beloved Celtic created history by upsetting the mighty Barcelona in the group stage of the tournament. It happens. All the time.

Flaunt your colors. Discreetly, of course.

Some rivalries are bigger than others. Who you choose to follow is serious business, and away fans are sometimes treated like the enemy. So when fans are following their teams, they need to play it smart, play it low-key, and do their research, because wearing the wrong colors can cause fans big problems. To add insult to injury, many stadiums flat out refuse to serve alcohol to away fans. Yes, it’s sick and wrong, but they do it just because they can.

All the normal rules apply.

Fans need to remember travel insurance, visas, and health cards. But they also have to keep their eyes peeled for additional restrictions, like where alcohol can be consumed. If you’re in one of those stadiums that won’t serve you because you’re “the enemy,” then no worries. Like always, safeguard your possessions and watch for pickpockets.