Euro 2008 Action is Thisaway

Now here’s an excellent idea. Because Austria and Switzerland are home to five official national languages between them (though four of those belong to Switzerland) and because many of the football fans who arrive for Euro 2008 this summer won’t speak any language but their own, the co-hosts have come up with a smart idea to make the tournament uniligual.

The signs to your left are pretty self-explanatory, and will apparently be installed in every host city by May 2008 at the latest. They tell pretty much any football fan how to get to where they want to go. Lost in Geneva and don’t speak any Swiss French? No problem. Confused in Klagenfurt and don’t speak any of that weird Austrian flavoured German? No problem. Just look for the Euro 2008 branded signs and they’ll point you towards the stadium and tell you how to get there.

For example the first says the stadium is thataway and it’s close enough to walk. The second one says the stadium is thisaway and you’re going to want to take the streetcar. The third one says the stadium is off in that direction and you need to take the train. You probably should have found some accommodation close to the stadium.

There will also be similar signs directing supporters to parking areas, fan zones and other Euro 2008 related locations. A great idea, that could only be improved by signs pointing towards affordable alcoholic beverages and away from androgynous abseiling mascots Flix and Trix.