Helsinki plans citywide fan zones for 2030 athletics championships

Helsinki plans to bring the 2030 European Athletics Championships beyond the Olympic Stadium, with fan zones stretching towards the city centre, Mayor Daniel Sazonov said, according to Yle. Helsinki was chosen over Brussels to host the championships.

“The championships will definitely be visible in the city, from the Olympic Stadium all the way to the city centre,” Sazonov said. He said the event would be closely connected to city life, noting that the stadium is near the centre rather than requiring visitors to travel by bus to reach it.

The Finnish Athletics Federation will have primary responsibility for organising the event, working closely with the city, the Stadium Foundation and other partners. Helsinki’s events and communications teams are preparing fan zones and other ways to build awareness among residents and visitors.

The city hopes the championships will generate tens of millions of euros for Helsinki through their economic impact and international promotion. The financial risks are also a concern: the last European Athletics Championships held in Helsinki, in 2012, left the athletics federation with a loss of €3.6 million. Some estimates suggest organisers would need to sell nearly 300,000 tickets to break even, requiring about 14,000 spectators each morning and 27,000 each evening.

Sazonov acknowledged that the audience targets are high but said the Olympic Stadium had been renovated so it could host major events. He added that a new generation of Finnish athletes could have the chance to compete at home.

Deputy Mayor for Culture and Leisure Paavo Arhinmäki said Helsinki’s case to host was strengthened by safety, walkability, an enthusiastic audience and good competition conditions. He said major events could leave a lasting impression and encourage children to take up sport.

Helsinki has committed €3 million in support for the championships, mainly through services such as event squares and visibility in the city rather than direct cash funding. The city will also spend €5 million renovating Eläintarha sports field beside the Olympic Stadium and €2 million resurfacing the stadium’s running track. Arhinmäki said both upgrades would have been needed even if Helsinki had not won the hosting rights.