SUMMER SPORTS SPECTACULAR

Team shirt on, flag to hand? If so, you’re already well prepared for the event of the year in Germany. In June and July, football fans from all over Europe will gather again to support their national teams. On 14 June, the German team will kick off the competition by welcoming their Scottish counterparts to the Allianz Arena in Munich. Over the month that follows, the teams will compete in the stadiums of various German cities for a place in the final, which will take place in Berlin on 14 July. In keeping with the football chant, ‘Berlin, Berlin, we’re going to Berlin’, you too should make your way to the capital to experience first-hand the unique atmosphere and solidarity that sport creates.

This year, the Olympic Games will take place in the French capital (with some events held at subsites elsewhere) from July to August and, as usual, fans from all over the world will come together to celebrate their great passion: sport. But this year the Games also have some new highlights in store. For the first time in history, as many women as men will be competing, which is a great achievement for gender equality at the Olympics. Another highlight that you definitely shouldn’t miss is the opening ceremony. Unusually, the event will not take place in a stadium; instead, the 10,000-plus athletes will travel on boats along the Seine, passing a number of attractions such as Notre-Dame de Paris, the Pont Neuf and the Musée d’Orsay. The best part is that the opening ceremony will be open to a large audience for the first time. From the upper quays, you can even watch for free and experience the magical atmosphere of the show live. Well, if that’s not a reason to go to Paris...! And if you haven’t had enough after these two weeks of pure sporting excitement, there is good news: you don’t have to wait long, because the athletes of the Paralympic Games will be putting in their best performance across a variety of disciplines in Paris from 28 August to 8 September.

In July, London will once again be home to swinging rackets and tennis balls flying through the air. That can only mean one thing: it’s time for Wimbledon. The world-famous tennis tournament has been held in London since 1877 and is therefore the oldest in the world. In addition to the Australian Open, the French Open and the US Open, Wimbledon is one of the four Grand Slam tournaments – the most important competitions in tennis. Wimbledon, however, is the only one of the four to be played on real grass. There is also a strict dress code, with white clothing mandatory for all athletes. So if you want to take in the full Wimbledon experience, it’s also a good idea for spectators to forgo colour when choosing their outfits and instead opt for classic white.