On two days of the EM

Munich Arena will shine in rainbow colors

The Munich Arena will be lit up in rainbow colors during the European Football Championship on June 22 and 23. The occasion is Christopher Street Day in the Bavarian capital, the European Championship organizers confirmed a corresponding request to the German Press Agency. A European Championship match will not be held in Munich on either of the two days.

Three years ago, the lighting at FC Bayern's home ground was a major topic of contention during the 2021 European Championship. The European Football Union had rejected a request from the city to have the arena lit up in rainbow colors for the third group match against Hungary. The background to the request was a protest against a law passed in Hungary at the time that restricted the information rights of young people with regard to homosexuality and transsexuality.

UEFA justified the decision with the political background of the application, which was then also directed against the Hungarian team and the Hungarian fans. The rainbow flag is a symbol of acceptance and equal rights for people who do not identify with the traditional roles of men and women or other norms relating to gender and sexuality.

Six European Championship matches in Munich
Six European Championship matches will take place in Munich, including the opening match between Germany and Scotland on Friday. This will be followed by three more group matches on June 17, 20 and 25 as well as a round of 16 match (July 2) and a semi-final (July 9).