An alert has been issued for people set to travel to Greece. The fresh warning comes in an update by the Foreign Office who warns that today (July 30) could see an influx in travellers, specifically to its capital.
Updating their Greece travel advice, the official GOV.UK website notes on their ‘safety and security’ page that “Athens will host Panathinaikos vs Rangers in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday 30th July.” This means that if you are travelling to Athens for the match, you should follow a few rules in order to stay safe.
The travel experts urge tourists to:
plan your movement around the city to arrive at the stadium well in advance of the match kick-off
follow the instructions of the local authorities
take care of your personal possessions including passports, especially in crowds and on public transport
Set to be hosted at the Athens Olympic Stadium, they urge people to find further information on the Rangers FC official website.
Where can I watch the Panathinaikos vs Rangers game?
The game takes place at the Athens Olympic Stadium on Wednesday, July 30 with kick-off at 7pm. You can tune in to watch the match on BBC Scotland.
Alert issued over outbreak in Greece
As well as an alert, which urges people to be safe when travelling for the game, a new alert has also been issued following a rise in cases of a severe illness in Spain and Greece, which has a fatality rate of around one in three.
Since the start of 2025, up to July 23 2025, two European countries have reported cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF). Infections have been confirmed in Spain and Greece, with the outbreak in Greece said to be “unexpected.”
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Greek cases were identified in the Thessaly region. Earlier this year, experts speaking to the UK Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee warned that it was “highly likely” CCHF would soon appear in the UK.
The surge has been highlighted by the UK Travel Health Pro website which is backed by the Foreign Office, reports the Express.co.uk. The ECDC said: “The cases in Greece that occurred in the Thessaly region are unexpected, as this region and neighbouring regions have not reported CCHF cases or CCHF virus circulation in animals previously.
“The primary case was probably infected through a tick bite, while the secondary case was a healthcare professional who provided care to the primary case, although the exact transmission route is still under scrutiny.
“These are the first cases since 2008, when the only other locally acquired case reported by Greece to date was found in the Thrace region (bordering Bulgaria).” You can read about the fresh alert, symptoms and how to avoid it here.
