By Liam Isola The 2025-26 European football (soccer) season has been underway for over a month, and UEFA competitions are just getting going. So, fans of teams in these competitions have the opportunity to go abroad and make a trip out of the away days.
Today, we’ll discuss 15 affordable European cities to watch soccer in, as it doesn’t have to be expensive to catch a match. Some of these cities have some of the top stadium atmospheres anywhere in the world.
Even if teams from these cities aren’t playing in UEFA competitions this season, you can still catch a domestic league match there for reasonable prices. So, here are 15 cheap European cities where you can watch soccer this season:
15 Cheap European Cities to Watch Soccer in – 1. Belgrade
Serbia’s capital is home to one of the fiercest football derbies in the world. Red Star Belgrade and FK Partizan contest the “Eternal Derby”. The next edition of this fiery rivalry is on February 26th, 2026 at Red Star’s Rajko Mitic Stadium.
These clubs are the two most successful clubs in the country. Matches between them often include fan violence both inside and outside the stadium. So, if that gives you pause, catch a game when it isn’t Derby day. Other Belgrade area clubs in the Serbian top flight are OFK Beograd and Cukaricki.
Belgrade is one of my favorite cities to visit in the Balkans and is well worth a stop on any Serbia itinerary.
15 Cheap European Cities to Watch Soccer in – 2. Athens
Athens is a soccer-crazed city, with big Greek clubs like AEK Athens and Panathinaikos. Panathinaikos has a long-standing rivalry with Olympiacos, who play in the nearby suburb of Piraeus. The “Derby of Eternal Enemies” is one of the best football rivalries in the world, as the name might imply.
There are five clubs in the metropolitan area competing in the top-flight in total. Other top-division clubs within the city of Athens are AE Kifisia and Atromitos. So, Athens is one of the best affordable destinations in all of Europe to watch soccer in.
Obviously, there is much more to do in Athens, and in Greece in general.
15 Cheap European Cities to Watch Soccer in – 3. Poznan
You can get tickets for a Lech Poznan home match at Enea Stadium for under $30. Lech won the Polish Ekstraklasa title in 2024-25 and are one of the most popular teams in the country. Lech Poznan’s biggest rivals are Legia Warsaw, and the two sides clash in Poznan on April 25th, 2026.
Poznan is known for having a beautiful Old Town, with colorful buildings in the market square. Poznan is also just a few hours away from Berlin by train.
4. Saint-Etienne
One of the cheapest cities in France is Saint-Etienne. They also happen to have one of the most rabid fanbases in all of French football. AS Saint-Etienne have bounced between the top two divisions over the last few years, but still have strong support. After all, they have won 10 Ligue 1 titles over the years.
Currently in Ligue 2, France’s second division, AS Saint-Etienne play at the old-school Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Saint-Etienne’s biggest rivals are Olympique Lyonnais. However, the two teams won’t be playing this season unless they meet in the French Cup.
Tickets for Lyon matches can be pricy. So, you can consider heading an hour away to Saint-Etienne for an affordable matchday experience in France.
5. Bucharest
Bucharest is a remarkably affordable city to travel in, and there are some good deals on Wizz Air. The former home of Vlad the Impaler, Bucharest is one of the biggest cities in the Balkans.
It also has four soccer clubs in the Romanian top flight, the most famous of which is FCSB (Steaua Bucharest). Steaua’s biggest rivals are Dinamo Bucharest, and the two teams are the most successful clubs in the country.
You can also catch Rapid Bucharest and FC Metaloglobus matches while in Bucharest.
6. Dortmund
Lente Desportiva recently ranked Borussia Dortmund fans the most passionate in world football. Dortmund’s “Yellow Wall” is famous and a sight to behold for any visitor to the city. While Borussia Dortmund have lagged behind their rivals Bayern Munich, they still manage to be incredibly competitive each year.
Dortmund have had some world-class players emerge through their ranks, like Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland, and Robert Lewandowski. Signal Iduna Park is one of the best places to catch a game in all of Europe. Thankfully, Dortmund is also one of the most affordable cities in Germany.
7. Sofia
Sofia, Bulgaria, is another cheap European capital to travel in. Bulgaria is generally quite an underrated country, with plenty to do. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in the world, and there are beautiful national parks and monasteries throughout the country.
While in the capital, though, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to catch a soccer game. Five teams from Sofia (Levski, CSKA, Slavia, Septemvri, and Lokomotiv) all play in the Bulgarian First League. The Eternal Derby between Levski Sofia and CSKA Sofia is the biggest one in the country.
8. Zagreb
While Croatia is getting pricy, especially in destinations on the coast, the inland capital Zagreb is still relatively affordable. That’s especially true compared to Western European capitals. Zagreb is home to Croatia’s most storied football club, Dinamo Zagreb.
Players like Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, and Josko Gvardiol have all played for Dinamo Zagreb at one point. So, you might be able to see a burgeoning young talent at the Stadion Maksimir.
While Lokomotiva also play in Zagreb, the biggest derbies in the country are Dinamo Zagreb/Hajduk Split and Dinamo Zagreb/Rijeka.
9. Budapest
Budapest is one of my favorite cities in the world, and may just be my favorite in Europe. It has beautiful architecture, underrated food, plenty to do, and a city that lends itself to exploration on foot.
While in Budapest, you can also catch Europa League games at Ferencvaros’ Groupama Arena. Other first-tier Hungarian clubs in Budapest are MTK and Ujpest FC.
10. Seville
Real Betis, based in Seville, have one of Spain’s most passionate and loyal fanbases. Although they haven’t always been a competitive side, they just reached the UEFA Conference League Final.
Of course, Sevilla, are the record Europa League winners. So, there are two high-level teams in Seville, which is actually a surprisingly affordable city for Western European standards.
Seville’s also a beautiful place to spend time and sightsee in. The Cathedral and Plaza de España are two places you absolutely must visit while in the capital of Andalucia.
11. Pilsen
Viktoria Plzen fans have frequently been voted the best football supporters in the Czech Republic. Plus, Viktoria Plzen’s Doosan Arena has just an 11,700 supporter capacity, allowing for a loud and intimate matchday experience.
Viktoria are in the Europa League in 2025-26, which means the potential to see some big matches. While in Pilsen, you can also visit the famous Pilsner Urquell Brewery.
12. Napoli
Napoli is an iconic city for reasons that have nothing to do with football. At the same time, soccer is a huge part of the city’s culture. Diego Maradona is a god in Napoli for delivering them their first Serie A titles.
So, make a pilgrimage to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to catch Napoli in action. Napoli have won two of the last three Serie A titles and are one of the better teams in Europe right now.
While in Naples, one of the best food cities in the world, you must get Pizza Napoletana. You can also take day trips to great destinations like Mount Vesuvius, Capri, the Amalfi Coast, Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Paestum.
13. Newcastle/Sunderland
This is the first joint entry on the list, and the cities’ teams contest one of the fiercest derbies in England. In fact, Newcastle and Sunderland, just 25 km away from each other, will meet in the Premier League this season in the Tyne-Wear Derby for the first time since 2016.
Newcastle has one of the most passionate fanbases in England, and St. James’ Park is a formidable place to play for opponents. Meanwhile, Sunderland’s fans have stuck with them through thick and thin, and their Stadium of Light is another good place to watch a match.
Both Northeastern cities are among the cheapest in England.
15 Cheap European Cities to Watch Soccer in – 14. Bratislava
Bratislava, Slovakia’s capital, is an affordable destination and a pleasant place to spend a couple of days. A must-visit destination in the city is the Bratislava Castle, along with the Blue Church.
While in this very walkable capital city, you can catch a Slovan Bratislava game. Slovan played in the Champions League in 2024-25, and they are the only club from Bratislava in Slovakia’s top division.
15 Cheap European Cities to Watch Soccer in – 15. Warsaw
Warsaw marks the second entry in Poland on this list, as it is an affordable destination. Its football fans are also among the best in Europe. Legia Warsaw fans are known for causing chaos, especially those who travel to away games.
Warsaw, like Bratislava, is a one-club city, and that means the whole city is behind Legia. That should make for an incredible matchday atmosphere during your visit to Poland’s capital.