Macedonians Offer Fans Free Lodging for UEFA Cup

Amid soaring hotel prices that threaten to tarnish the country's self-image as a hospitable nation, residents of the capital Skopje have started offering free accommodation for visitors attending the UEFA Super Cup match between Manchester United and Real Madrid on August 8.

The Macedonian branch of the Manchester United Supporters' Club has been leading the way. The supporters' club said it had been overwhelmed by requests for assistance.

"I am receiving more than 100 messages a day for help with accommodation. But we will manage and we will accommodate them [the fans] free of charge," said Vasko Kockovski, a member of MUSC Macedonia.

Other Skopje residents have also launched similar initiatives on social networks in order to accommodate as many visitors as possible.

One of them, Macedonian actress Sofija Kunovska, wrote on Facebook that she has two spare beds for foreign tourists in her home.

The Macedonian government on Tuesday also said it is still considering the idea of making Skopje's student dormitories available to visitors for a symbolic price for the Super Cup.

Macedonia's first UEFA club competition final will take place at Skopje's Filip II Arena, whose capacity exceeds 33.000 seats.

The clash will pit Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo against his former club Manchester United, while Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho will also face his former Spanish side.

More than 10,000 football fans from all across the world are expected to visit the Macedonian capital for the event.

The initiatives for accommodating visitors were launched after international media started writing about skyrocketing hotel prices in Skopje over the past month for the big event.  

BIRN has reported...