Cyprus Times

Why PAOK Fans Chose the Romania Route

Published January 28, 2026, 07:08
Why PAOK Fans Chose the Romania Route

PAOK fans opted to travel to Lyon for the Europa League match via a route through Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Austria. This choice was made to take advantage of the free border crossings offered by the Schengen area, avoiding the long delays that would be caused by checks at the borders of non-Schengen countries. The most direct route would have been through North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia, but this would have required significantly more time due to the controls. The decision aimed to combine safety and speed, however, this route had a tragic outcome.