Germany fly to Dortmund for last 16 game despite UEFA's green goals

Germany national football team (DFB) sports director Rudi Voeller gets off the team plane at Dortmund Airport, ahead of Saturday's UEFA Euros 2024 round of 16 soccer match against Denmark. Bernd Thissen/dpa

Germany flew to Dortmund on Friday for Saturday's Euro 2024 last-16 clash with Denmark, having taken a bus to their three group games.

Governing body UEFA had declared ambitious goals for ecological sustainability at the Euros, but the hosts opted to use air travel for the 400 kilometre-route from Nuremberg to Dortmund.

Their base at the Adidas headquarters in Herzogenaurach, near Nuremberg, was chosen ahead of the German FA's own campus in Frankfurt because the squad could travel by bus to their group games in Munich, Stuttgart and Frankfurt.

Following Saturday evening's match, they will fly back to Nuremberg after Dortmund Airport was given special permission to operate a night-flight.

If the Germans reach the quarter-finals and semi-finals, they will revert to the bus given the games will be in Stuttgart and Munich.

But Julian Nagelsmann's side would fly should they reach the final in Berlin on July 14.

German National team coach Julian Nagelsmann (R) gets off the plane with the German team ahead of Saturday's UEFA Euros 2024 round of 16 soccer match against Denmark. Bernd Thissen/dpa
(L-R) Germany's Jamal Musiala, Antonio Ruediger, Leroy Sane and Thomas Mueller get off the plane with the German team at Dortmund Airport, ahead of Saturday's UEFA Euros 2024 round of 16 soccer match against Denmark. Bernd Thissen/dpa