Kievans Offer Free Accommodation to Football Fans

With less than a couple of weeks before the UEFA Champions League final in Kyiv, there has been a shortage of accommodation for football fans. Nearly 100,000 visitors are expected to visit for the men's and women's finals in what is one of football's most important yearly events.

However, the situation has left many football fans angry as the city faces an accommodation shortage. Some have expeirenced cancelled bookings whilst many major international hotel chains are now fully booked.

Hotel prices have sky rocketed with some rooms going from costing normally $51 to an astonishing $2800. Airbnb prices have also seen dramatic increases with a one bed apartment close to the city centre jumping from $59 to $479.

Football fans have complained that hotel and apartment management companies are trying to profit from the situation with cancelling reservations and relisting the same properties at four times higher price.

The accommodation situatoon has angered many locals who say that it is an honour for the city to hold the Champions League finals. A number of Facebook groups using the hashtag #FreeKyivCouch4Fans have been set up to offer visitors free accommodation during their stay.

The groups have already attracted thousands of members and are making a difference to foreign visitors coming to the city. However, some hosts do have certain requirements for their guests such as offering accommodation to Real Madrid or Liverpool supporters!

The men's final is between Spains Real Madrid and Liverpool FC on May 26th. The women's final is between Germany's Wolfsburg and FRance's Lyon on May 24th.