Prague warns of traffic complications ahead of June 7 UEFA final

West Ham will play Fiorentina for the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday, June 7 in Prague, and the city has advised residents to be aware of potential traffic complications, especially in the vicinity of Prague 10.

The event will draw football fans from across the world, who will watch the final at Fortuna Arena as well as participate in events across the city. The city has worked with UEFA organizers to ensure the impact on locals is as minimal as possible, but some restrictions are unavoidable.

From Wednesday, June 7 through mid-day on Thursday, June 8, Prague 10 streets Vladivostocká, U Slavie, and U Vršovické hřbitova in the area of Fortuna Arena will be closed for all traffic. Restrictions may also apply in adjacent streets during these dates. A detour route will be established along Moskevská street.

For further information and updates on traffic complications, Prague residents can call a toll-free info line at 800 100 991 on Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

All events officially associated with the UEFA final will be supervised by a private security service. Prague's police and emergency rescue services have also coordinated with the UEFA in preparation for the Europa Conference League final.

The final has sold out at Fortuna Arena, which can accommodate 18,000 spectators, but several accompanying events have also been organized throughout Prague, with residents and even non-fans invited to participate.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, June 6 and 7, the UEFA Europa Conference League trophy will be placed on display in front of Prague's Rudolfinum. Fans are invited to take photos with the trophy from 10:00 a.m., and a number of football personalities will unveil the trophy from 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday.

Through June 8, two giant replicas of the Europa Conference League trophy have been placed at the Municipal House in central Prague as well as at Václav Havel Airport.

Two special fan meeting points have also been established in Prague for visitors, both of which will be available throughout the day of the final, June 7. West Ham fans will gather at Pragues' Letná plain, while Fiorentina supporters will meet at the Výstaviště Exhibition Grounds. Representatives from both clubs will greet fans at their respective meeting points.

On June 7, dedicated buses will bring fans of both clubs from the airport to their meeting points. The metro A line will run at higher intervals and through 2:00 a.m. to accommodate West Ham fans, while a special train service will bring Fiorentina fans from Holešovice to Fortuna Arena. 

While Slavia Prague didn't make the UEFA Europa Conference League final, three Czech players will be taking part in the match. Tomáš Souček and Vladimír Coufal both play for West Ham, while Antonín Barák plays with Fiorentina.

"We realize that the measures taken may cause complications for some residents, and we apologize in advance for them," says Petr Šedivý, a spokesperson for the team organizing the UEFA final. "All associated parties will try to make the impact on the everyday life of Prague citizens as minimal as possible."

"At the same time, we want to present Prague in the best possible light. We believe that we have taken all measures for the smooth running of the final not only in the stadium, but in the whole of Prague."