For the opening match of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season between FC Bayern and VfB Stuttgart, members of the official Dutch fan club 'FC Bayern Fans Holland', together with Bayern legend Roy Makaay, gathered for a special public viewing event on the canals of Amsterdam, organised by the Bundesliga and Viaplay. Two club-branded boats – one for FCB and one for VfB – turned the waterways of the Dutch capital into a football festival for the opening game.
Glenn van den Brink, deputy chairman of the Dutch fan club 'FC Bayern Fans Holland'.
After boarding at Amsterdam Centraal, the Bayern boat made its way along the canals in glorious weather. The fans enjoyed Bavarian specialties while Viaplay began its live broadcast from the boat. There was a particularly memorable moment when Makaay and VfB legend Frank Verlaat passed the two fan groups on a smaller boat before Makaay joined the Bayern supporters on board, where he spent time chatting and posing for photos as well as taking part in challenges and quiz questions.
The events on the pitch matched the party atmosphere perfectly. FC Bayern won the opener 5-1, making a clear statements right at the start of the Bundesliga campaign. After the final whistle, the fan club held a Q&A with Makaay.
“Louis van Gaal, Jan Wouters, Mark van Bommel, Arjen Robben and Roy Makaay – with such great names, it’s no wonder that FC Bayern traditionally has a special connection to the Netherlands and can count on a great fan base there,” said Markus Meindl, fans director at FC Bayern. “The official fan club ‘FC Bayern Fans Holland’ once again maintained this special connection with a Bavarian fan party on the canals of Amsterdam. Hartelijk dank und hup FC Bayern!“
Glenn van den Brink, deputy chairman of the fan club, added: “Whenever I come to Munich, I always feel welcome. The people are open and the fans help each other. That sense of community means a lot to me. The fact we could now experience it with so many members of our fan club on the Bayern boat in Amsterdam made the evening very special for me.”