Two Belgium Soccer Fans Snuck Into Champions League Final by Hiding in Stadium Toilet Stalls for 27 Hours Leading Up to Game
Independent – A pair of Belgian TikTokers say they spent 27 hours in an Allianz Arena toilet last weekend before watching Paris Saint-Germain beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final for free.
Neal Remmerie and Senne Haverbeke told VRT News they managed to get into the Munich stadium the day before the match and hid in a toilet cubicle. After sticking a homemade "out of order" sign on the door, the pair waited in silence for more than a day as stadium staff used the facility.
"We had a backpack with snacks and we played around on our phones to kill time," Remmerie told the Belgian public broadcaster.
"The lights were on all the time and the sitting position was uncomfortable, so sleeping was almost impossible. That made it physically and mentally difficult."
Once they heard fans starting to use the toilets on matchday, the pair left their bolthole and made their way past ticket inspectors to join the 86,600 crowd in the stands. "We looked carefully at which security guard was paying the least attention. While on the phone and with food in our hands, we just walked on, and suddenly we were inside," Remmerie added.
"PSG won 5-0 and we were also in the supporters' section of the winning team. It was the most beautiful football match we have ever seen."
The Allianz Arena and Uefa did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Those fans who made their way into the match more conventionally had to pay anywhere from £75 and £800 for their tickets.
Cheers, lads. Do they say cheers in Belgium? Probably not. English isn't their first language. But when they do speak English, I bet they're cheersing their asses off. I admire the dedication of these two blokes. 27 hours squatting on a stadium toilet isn't the most incredible feat of human perseverance I've ever heard of, but it's nothing to sneeze at. That's a long time in a small confined space. The fluorescent lights on bright the entire time. When I saw the tickets were only roughly $100 USD, I wasn't quite sure all that effort seemed worth it. But I'd imagine this had more to do with these two friends just seeing if they could pull it off. That's a memory that will last a lifetime. And according to them, they got to witness the "most beautiful football match we have ever seen" (5-0 blowout). Well played, guys. Here's another plug for your TikTok for your efforts (@neal_senne).
This video really stresses the power of hi-vis vests. I love the irony of a hi-vis vest being specifically designed to draw attention to a person, but at the same time allowing one to walk almost anywhere in the world and be completely ignored. When you see a man in a hi-vis vest, you instantly assume he knows what he's doing. That wherever he is, he belongs. And if a man in a hi-vis vest starts giving you orders, or asking questions, you're going to take him seriously. Clearly if a man is wearing a hi-vis vest (even if it's over a Kenny Pickett jersey) has must have some sort of authority.
But back to the stadiums. It's always surprising to me how remarkably easy it is to sneak into empty stadiums. College stadiums especially. So often they're left wide open. If you take a lap around most college football or basketball stadiums and try pulling every door, you're most likely going to find one unlocked. I'm not sure if they do that intentionally as a little treat for the fans, or if they're left open for the small number of employees who happen to be working there on off days. But if you ever find yourself in a random college city with a cool stadium, and you're into that sort of thing, it's something worth checking out. Me and my friends did it at a bachelor party in Knoxville once. The groom was a big Tennessee fan, and we just walked onto the field of Neyland Stadium and started running routes in front of 100,000+ empty seats. It was a blast. And you ever happen to be in Green Bay, Wisconsin, you can just walk into Doug Gottlieb's unoccupied office.
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Shoutout G-Fed, who's managed to build an entire brand out of exploring stadiums.
Sneaking into a stadium the day before a big game and hiding out in a bathroom until game time seems like something I'd love to try someday. More likely than not, I'd get bored about 6 hours in, realize I can buy a ticket on Gametime for $60, and bail on the whole thing. Or if it's a really big game and the tickets are too expensive, you can always just wait until the game starts and sneak in through a vent.
But it sounds like a fun challenge in theory. It seems doable. And if you're able to explore the stadium ahead of time, I gotta think you can find a good secluded spot. Maybe even a spot more comfortable than a bathroom stall. Anything is possible as long as you're wearing your hi-vis vest.