Germany on terror alert as it prepares to host Euro 2024

All eyes will be on Germany over the next month as the country hosts the 2024 European Men's Football Championships. From Munich to Berlin to Hamburg - ten cities will host the 51 matches between June 14 and July 14.

According to German authorities, an estimated 12 million football fans will be taking in the games at stadiums, fan zones, beer halls and other locations broadcasting the event. Meanwhile, thousands of security personnel have been drafted in and measures have been put in place to ensure supporters are safe.

The month long event kicks off at Munich's Allianz Arena, where security has been heightened ahead of roughly 66,000 fans expected to take in the opening game between Germany and Scotland.

An estimated 2,000 police officers will be positioned around the arena and across the city keeping a watchful eye.

Groups such as the Islamic State have already called for attacks at the month-long tournament, which begins with the host country's Group A opener against Scotland on Friday.

Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has said that "there is currently no indication of any concrete danger in connection with the Euros," but the recent arrest in the German city of Cologne, which will host five matches, of a suspected "Islamic State" supporter who had reportedly applied, unsuccessfully, to work at Euro 2024 events has peaked concerns.

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This follows the publishing of stadiums in Madrid, Paris and London hosting Championship league quarter-final games by a media outlet said to be supportive of the Islamic State.

"Our security services are highly professional, says Minister Faeser, "and have been preparing intensively for this tournament for years. The cooperation between the Federal State and the regions to ensure the security of the tournament is going very well."

Both federal and state police have been taking part in exercises, training sessions and even simulated terrorist attacks in order to keep the police prepared for any and all potential eventualities.

All boarders have been re-enforced with additional controls, while the air space above all football stadiums has been closed. Police also have special jammers to force land any restricted flying objects, such as drones.

A central emergency security control center has been set up in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia where four of the ten venues are located.

The state's interior minister Herbert Reul says security is a "top priority."

"The great threat potential of ISIS (Islamic State) is clear, must be stated" he told reporters in the capitol Berlin, ahead of the games. "We have no concrete evidence, but there is this abstract high risk and there are enough incidents to confirm that it can happen every day. 

"And the truth? We can never guarantee 100 percent security. We can prepare ourselves as best we can, train people as best we can, send many people there, prepare technology as far as we can. We can try, we can practise. Everything will be done."

Football has been known to transcend political differences and social divides, yet the conflicts around the world is forcing security personnel to keep a heightened watchful eye in order to ensure a safe and successful EURO 2024.

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