Tens of thousands of Union fans ring in Christmas
For many FC Union Berlin fans, the joint Christmas carol singing at the An der Alten Försterei stadium is one of the highlights of the year. One day before Christmas, 28,500 fans flock to Berlin-Köpenick to get in the mood for the festive season together.
The Christmas carol singing at 1. FC Union Berlin has once again drawn the crowds. This evening, 28,500 visitors flocked to the An der Alten Försterei stadium for the 21st edition of the Bundesliga club's Christmas caroling.
Due to the large crowds, the event did not start until around 7.10 pm, ten minutes later than usual. Classics such as "Ihr Kinderlein kommet" and "Oh Tannenbaum" were played. Of course, numerous Union songs were also sung. Tickets had been sold out for weeks. Only club members were able to purchase them via a raffle.
The Christmas carol singing at Union has been taking place since 2003. This makes it the oldest Christmas carol singing event to be held in soccer stadiums in Germany and it has since been imitated by many others.
At the Union premiere 20 years ago, just 89 activists gathered on the pitch-dark back straight in the Alte Försterei, which was not yet covered at the time. At the time, Christmas carol inventor Torsten Eisenbeiser from the fan club Alt-Unioner wanted to bring the fans together in a contemplative way in difficult sporting and economic times. This has turned into an event that brings the biggest club event of the year for Union and its employees one day before Christmas Eve every year.
After the turbulent year 2023, which saw Union qualify for the Champions League but also battle relegation in the Bundesliga, the Union fans also sang their hearts out for the second half of the season, which begins in January. Union currently occupy 15th place in the Bundesliga. The club finished the 2022/2023 season in fifth place. During the traditional end-of-year review speech by a fan in a Santa Claus costume, there were chants in support of former successful coach Urs Fischer and against the DFL due to the potential investor deal.
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The annual soccer carol singing at 1.FC Union Berlin's stadium, An der Alten Försterei, is a beloved holiday tradition for many Berliners. Despite the soccer league schedule, even on Christmas Eve eve, Union fans enthusiastically attend this event.
Source: www.ntv.de
