Oktoberfest festivities are in full swing and German soccer fans in the tri-cities taking part in the celebrations got to enjoy a special treat as part of the fun.
On Saturday, the festive atmosphere of Oktoberfest at the Schwaben Club in Breslau was replaced by fans cheering on the biggest match of the German soccer calendar when FC Bayern Munich met Borussia Dortmund.
“It’s incredible to have a game during Oktoberfest. Usually this game is sometimes in November or December,” said Thomas Drung, founder of Mia San KW. “There’s a lot of people of German heritage here and it was just only natural to start an FC Bayern Munich fan club here with all the German clubs and the culture and the heritage.”
The Mia San KW club is one of the few official fan clubs in Canada of FC Bayern with roughly 70 members making up the local supporter group.
The match, being played during Oktoberfest celebrations, is known as Der Klassiker — when the two biggest rivals in German soccer meet. The match comes just a day after the keg was tapped for KW Oktoberfest.
FC Bayern is the most successful German team in the sport’s history, with a record of 32 national titles.
Fans in Breslau were also cheering on Canada’s Alphonso Davies, who is one of the German team’s youngest rising superstars.
“We are huge ‘Fonzi’ fans. We cheer on, not only for FC Bayern, but also cheer for Canada,” said Marius Pop, member of Ma San KW.
The club will host viewing parties for both team Germany and team Canada when the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicks off in November.
“We always welcome new members. We always welcome other members,” said Pop.
Canada is making its return to the prestigious tournament following a nearly 40-year qualification drought; Les Rouges have only appeared once at the tournament back in 1986.
The local supporter group is hoping more fans will join as Canada returns to soccer’s biggest stage.
“It’s a family club,” explained Drung. “The club is run by members and you really get that sense with Bayern Munich.”
