CNN has reported on the recurrent problem faced by Monaco’s football club in attracting supporters to Stade Louis II.
The American news channel pointed out that Tuesday night’s Champions League game, in which Monaco scored a spectacular last-minute equaliser against German side Bayer Leverkusen, played out in a half-empty stadium. The game ended 1-1.
With a capacity of just over 18,000, Monaco’s Stade Louis II stadium is one of the smallest in Europe’s top five leagues, yet the club often struggles to draw five-figure attendances.
CNN attributes the problem to the cost of living in the Principality at 87 percent more than in the UK and rents on average 746 percent higher.
One fan told the news outlet that many fans don’t live in Monaco, but travel long distances to support the club. “It’s too expensive to live here, so not all the fans can come for the matches to fill the stadium,” the supporter said.