‘Special milestone’ – Europa League run boosts Frankfurt’s membership to 100,000

Eintracht Frankfurt have reached the milestone of 100,000 members, the Bundesliga club announced Wednesday on the eve of their home Europa League semi-final against West Ham.

Frankfurt need only a draw against the Premier League club in Thursday’s second leg.

A 2-1 win from the first-leg means Eintracht are on the verge of a first European final in 42 years, which has helped boost membership numbers.

Last month, 30,000 Eintracht fans travelled to Barcelona for their quarter-final victory over the Catalan giants.

“Obviously the success of the first team has helped us – both winning the German Cup in 2018 and our unforgettable European campaigns,” said club president Peter Fischer.

“It makes me so proud that we have achieved this special milestone.”

The figure means Eintracht are ranked fifth among the clubs in Germany’s top two leagues behind Bayern Munich, Schalke, Borussia Dortmund and Cologne.

When Fischer became club president in 2000, Eintracht had less than 5,000 members.

“In my first press conference, I was laughed at for saying that 10,000 members was one of my goals,” he added.

A sell-out crowd of around 48,000 is expected for the home leg against West Ham with either RB Leipzig or Rangers awaiting in the final on May 18 in Seville.

“That is the most important game of the season and we want to reach the final,” Frankfurt’s Swiss midfielder Djibril Sow told a press conference.

Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner expects “a really tough” and “a great atmosphere” against an opponent who “will try everything”.