Gardaí to set up large-scale traffic plan ahead of Europa League final in Aviva Stadium

Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the Europa League semi-final first-leg match between AS Roma and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Stadio Olimpico in Rome on May 2. Picture: Paolo Bruno/Getty Images

Tens of thousands of football fans will descend on Dublin on Wednesday for the final of the prestigious Europa League taking place at the Aviva Stadium.

Bayer Leverkusen of Germany and Atalanta of Italy will contest the final of the tournament, which is second only to the Champions League in European club competitions.

Gardaí have launched a large-scale policing and traffic management plan for the event, which is expected to draw in excess of 48,000 people.

It said heavy volumes of traffic could be expected in Dublin city centre and the area around Lansdowne Road throughout the day, while a fan festival will also take place in Dublin Castle from 10am to 5pm.

A giant version of the Europa League trophy, meanwhile, was put in place on North Earl Street near the infamous Dublin portal.

Road closures will also be in effect, while additional measures will be put in place at Grand Canal Dock and Sandymount Dart stations to accommodate the flow of fans.

There are two fan zones set up in the city, with Shelbourne Park Greyhound Stadium accommodating the Leverkusen fans and RDS Simmonscourt facilitating the Atalanta fans.

The match kicks off in the Aviva Stadium at 8pm, with turnstiles open from 5pm. Picture: Inpho/Morgan Treacy

Gardaí said the fan zones would act as a meeting point for the two sets of supporters and allow those with tickets to march to the stadium en-masse. Both are expected to leave these designated zones from 5.30pm onwards to march to the stadium.

Dublin Airport said it expected to welcome about 30,000 overseas visitors flying in for the game, including 20,000 fans from Germany and Italy.

Dominik Szoboszlai of Liverpool reacts after Mario Pasalic of Atalanta scores his team's third goal during the Europa League quarter-final first-leg match between Liverpool FC and Atalanta at Anfield on April 11. Picture: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Dedicated staff have been made available at both terminals to help fans on their way, with free transport arranged for both sets of supporters from special fan areas in the terminals.

“This is a very exciting week for Dublin Airport as we welcome football fans from all over the world to Ireland for one of the world's biggest football matches,” Dublin Airport managing director Gary McLean said.

“Hosting big matches like this helps put Ireland on the map and the Dublin Airport team is proud to be playing a key role in facilitating the arrival and departure of up to 30,000 fans.” 

Leverkusen are the bookies’ favourites to lift the trophy, having just completed an unprecedented unbeaten season in Germany on their way to the Europa League final. They are also managed by former Spanish footballing great Xabi Alonso, who famously spent a summer in Kells in Meath as a teenager.

Atalanta will fancy their chances too, however, and are on an impressive run themselves, having beaten Liverpool on the way to the final while putting in a strong showing in the Italian league again this year.

It is the second time Dublin has hosted this prestigious event, with Porto of Portugal lifting the trophy in the Aviva Stadium in 2011.

The match kicks off in the Aviva Stadium at 8pm, with turnstiles open from 5pm. With the potential for extra time and penalties, the match could go on until 11pm.