Como Executives Give Champions League Seats to Veteran Supporters

Como president Mirwan Suwarso and several club directors will give up their seats for the Italian club's first Champions League match, allowing some of its oldest supporters to attend the sold-out home fixture against Leipzig on Thursday. BBC Sport and La Gazzetta dello Sport reported the initiative on Tuesday.

Watch the highlights:

The places will be offered to long-standing Como fans born in 1950 or earlier. Suwarso announced the plan on Instagram, explaining that the club wanted the seats to go to supporters who had waited the longest for this occasion and had followed Como through different divisions and eras. The club asked people who know an eligible supporter deserving of a place to contact its community team.

Demand for the match has exceeded the space available at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia. Suwarso said the stadium was completely sold out and that its reduced capacity meant Como could not accommodate everyone who wanted to attend. He and the participating directors therefore chose to release their own allocations rather than occupy them for the landmark game.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the stadium can hold approximately 11,000 spectators for European matches, compared with more than 12,000 for domestic league games. The smaller European limit is linked to sections of tubular seating in the Distinti stand that cannot be used in the Champions League.

The Sinigaglia underwent work during the summer to meet UEFA requirements. According to La Gazzetta, the Curva Ovest was rebuilt, while the pitch was relaid and widened. Lighting, media facilities and other services were also upgraded before UEFA approved the ground to stage Champions League football.

The ticket gesture connects the significance of Como's European debut with supporters who experienced much leaner periods in the club's history. It also puts a practical limit on the offer: the number of available seats depends on how many executives participate, and the reports did not specify a total. What is confirmed is that Suwarso and several directors are surrendering their places, with the club prioritising eligible older fans for Thursday's match.