The Gunners are riding a wave of success. Following last year’s league title and their run to the Champions League final, they have also made a strong start to the new season. Naturally, these developments have had a global impact, winning the club numerous new fans including a growing following in Switzerland.
Last season, Arsenal became English champions for the first time in over 20 years. This sparked jubilant celebrations not only in England but also among Gunners fans worldwide including in Switzerland, home to the Arsenal Supporters Club Switzerland since 2002.
The fan club received official recognition from the club just three years after its founding and has since been a regular presence at home matches and selected international away games. This enthusiasm for the club endured even during less successful sporting periods. After all, true football fans do not simply switch clubs just because things aren’t going well on the pitch.
The Swiss players within the Gunners ranks likely played a part in this. While Philippe Senderos and Johan Djourou never quite broke into the elite circle of world-class Premier League defenders, both players made over 100 competitive appearances for the club and gave their absolute best on the pitch.
Swiss players come and go
In the summer of 2013, Djourou and youth player Martin Angha, the last Swiss players at the club for the time being, departed, before Granit Xhaka, a key player, moved to London in the summer of 2016. The future Swiss national team captain joined the Gunners after several strong seasons with Borussia Mönchengladbach and became a reliable mainstay in London.
His departure after seven years and 297 competitive matches was therefore a painful blow for both the club and the fans. However, Mikel Arteta has managed to help everyone move past that disappointment. Since taking charge in December 2019, he has rebuilt and further developed the squad. The team’s development in terms of playing style, combined with recent sporting successes, has generated worldwide enthusiasm and goodwill for the club, including in Switzerland. During this period, plenty of Swiss fans likely placed bets on the Gunners with active bookmakers in Switzerland too.
Swiss Arsenal Fan Club Growing
According to the Arsenal Supporters Club Switzerland, the fan club already had nearly 500 members as of May this year. Membership numbers have risen recently, partly thanks to the team’s title-winning form. Looking at the facts, this comes as no surprise at all.
After all, we are talking about a club with a young manager, a host of top players and talents from around the globe, an attractive possession-based style of play, and recent sporting success. Furthermore, the club knows exactly how to market itself effectively, both at home and abroad.
Membership also offers plenty of benefits for Gunners fans. For a modest fee, members gain advantages such as the chance to secure tickets for home games and select Champions League away matches. This allows fans to follow Gunners games not just via live streams, but also in person at the stadium, a fantastic opportunity for fans based abroad.
Members can also take part in exclusive events and access special discounts. For any Arsenal fan or supporter living in Switzerland, it is well worth considering membership in this excellent fan club. It might just provide the chance to watch a match live at the Emirates Stadium for the very first time. The Arsenal Supporters Club Switzerland has done the groundwork, now the fans just need to convert the opportunity into a goal.