BELGIUM AWAY: AN ALTERNATIVE GUIDE
Belgium vs. Wales, it’s a fixture that evokes incredible memories for any Wales fan. We’ve not lost in our last 4 games against one of the best teams in the world, including THAT win in Lille in the quarter finals of the Euro 2016. We are now due to face them again this March in qualifying for the World Cup. We take a look at what a Wales away in Belgium could look like.
When
The fixture is currently planned for March 24th 2021. The way things are going at the moment, I think it’s unlikely that fans will be able to travel just yet and attend the game, which is a shame.
Where
The Belgian national team finished off their Nations League campaign with three homes games played at the King Power at Den Dreef Stadium in Leuven, a city about a 30 minute drive east of Brussels. The ground has a 10,020 capacity, and if the game is behind closed doors, I would imagine this would be venue for our game, as it has been for their previous 3. If fans are allowed to attend, it would be likely that the game will be played at the King Baudouin Stadium, the successor of the infamous Heysel ground and the scene of our famous 0-0 draw with the Belgians at the start of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and the birthplace of “Zombie Nation”. It’s currently undergoing a redevelopment process and is being rebuilt to a reduced capacity of 40,000 (currently 50,000) and will be renamed the “Golden Generation Arena” (maybe named after the team who knocked them out of Euro 2016?). In October, before the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Belgium hosted a friendly there against Ivory Coast with a reduced, socially distanced capacity of 11,000. Only 6,200 tickets were sold and only 4,600 turned up. If things are starting to improve by March, we could see something similar, but I can’t see away fans being factored into this. In the unlikely scenario fans are allowed, Wales will receive a minimum of 5% of the tickets. Based on the new capacity, our allocation could start at around 2,000 tickets.
How
Belgium will be the easiest of 4 countries in our group to travel to, with a whole host of different ways to reach Brussels. The Eurostar goes direct to Brussels these days, and with it being just over a 2 hour drive from Calais, driving is also an easy option. Plenty of flights will be available as well. There’s no surprise that you can’t fly directly from Cardiff but for those in the south there are regular flights from Bristol and for those in the north, Manchester offers a direct route. Birmingham and Heathrow also offer flights. British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Ryanair and BMI regional are the airlines that offer these flights. I think, if you time it right, you could easily get a return flight for less than £100 (KAYAK.co.uk advise that the cheapest flights for Brussels are found, on average, 69 days in advance). Obviously Brussels offers a whole host of options for accommodation, ranging from hostels to apartment, there’s an option for any budget. A short browse of booking.com seems to point towards the average price for one night for one person being somewhere between £50 and £75.
Why
Belgium is famous for a lot of stuff. It’s the home of the European Union, it’s got a big chocolate and waffle scene, but the one thing I’m sure the travelling contingent from Wales will be looking forward to is the beer. A lot of bars will only sell their beers in half measures because it’s so bloody strong. The most commonly known exported beer is Stella Artois and Duvel is another famous tipple, coming in at a whopping 8.5%. When in Belgium, there is a whole host of others to choose from. The Independent ranked Belgium’s top 10 beers back in 2019 and Westmalle Tripel came out on top. It’s a frighteningly high 9.5% and it’s described as a “Trappist blond ale brewed to a high strength. It has the unmistakable aroma of spicy Belgian yeast and a dense white head that sits atop its golden body.” There are hundreds of small bars dotted around the city, so you won’t have to go far to find somewhere, you can even go straight to source and visit some of the local breweries. Back in 2014, Welsh fans tended to congregate around two bars on Place de la Bourse, an Irish bar called O’Reilly’s and a sports bar called The Big Game, but I would definitely recommend trying a few around the city, as you’re bound to stumble on a few gems. Last time out, my group ended up in a great bar that we stumbled on near the main train station. I can’t remember the name of it, so it’s no help, but still, my point stands; get out of the main square and you’ll find some cracking bars.
For when the beer gets too much and you want to see a bit more the city, The Grand Palace is worth a visit but it’s just one of those cities you can walk around and just take in the sights and sounds of the place.
If you wanted to take an alternative route into Brussels, there are so many options. Last time I went, we spent an evening in Amsterdam and got the train in. Antwerp and Bruges are supposed to be great cities and with the efficient rail infrastructure in that part of the world, there a huge amount of options if you don’t fancy spending all of your time in Brussels.
Fingers crossed for a situation where we can travel, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. At least, on recent form, it won’t be long until we end up drawing them again. And let’s be honest, if there was one trip we’d have to miss, I think most of us would’ve chosen this one.