FK TSC BAČKA TOPOLA
UEFA Europa League Group A, TSC Arena, Thursday 30 November 2023, 5.45pm GMT
West Ham United make their first-ever trip to Serbia to face FK TSC on UEFA Europa League group-stage matchday five.
The Hammers will fly into the capital city, Belgrade, before travelling two hours and just under 100 miles north to the town of Bačka Topola, around 20 miles from the border with Hungary.
Found in 1913 as Topolyai Sport Club, when the town of Topolya was part of the Kingdom of Hungary, the club has undergone a number of name changes as the region of Bačka became part, in turn, of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and, since 2006, Serbia.
Based in a region, Vojvodina, with a large ethnic Hungarian population, FK TSC is owned by Hungarian multinational energy company MOL, and club President János Zsemberi is a successful ethnic Hungarian businessman who was born in Bačka Topola.
Since Zsemberi’s investment in the club in 2013, FK TSC have developed a new 4,500-capacity stadium and academy, both of which were opened by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
How to get there…
The simplest route is to fly from London to Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, then hire a car and drive the 100 miles north up the A1 motorway to Bačka Topola.
There are no direct public transport links between the two, but you could take the train (two services per hour) from Belgrade to the city of Novi Sad, about halfway to Bačka Topola, before continuing your journey from there by road. Direct bus services run from Belgrade to Bačka Topola, via Novi Sad, with a journey time of three hours.
Alternatively, you could take a taxi from Belgrade, but that will likely cost you over £100 each way.
Supporters will have the option of return coach travel from Belgrade (from a location to advised) at a cost of £33 return. Coach travel will take approximately two-and-a-half hours from the pick-up point to the stadium.
We will be taking a minimum of one coach. Further coaches will be sold in accordance with supporter demand and are not guaranteed.
Where to stay…
As mentioned, staying in Belgrade or Novi Sad (pictured, below) would be preferable to staying in the town of Bačka Topola itself, particularly as accommodation options in the latter are hard to find.
Hotels are widely available in both cities, with double or twin rooms available for well under £100.
Should you wish to stay in Bačka Topola, a small number of hotels and apartments are available via online booking websites.
What to do…
Bačka Topola itself is a small town with no tourist attractions of note.
However, if you remain in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia has a wide variety of historical and cultural places you can visit, including the Belgrade Fortress, St Sava Temple Orthodox cathedral, St Petka’s Chapel Christian church and the River Danube.
Neighbourhood-wise, Skadarlija is the cultural and bohemian centre of Belgrade, while Knez Mihailova Street is full of places to shop, eat and drink.
In Novi Sad, which was the European Capital of Culture in 2022, the Petrovaradin Fortress, Dunavska Street and Danube Park are worth a visit, while the city is blessed with eye-catching art nouveau and modernist architecture.
Supporters should bear in mind that the weather forecast for the middle of the week is for temperatures hovering around freezing and snow showers!
What’s happened there before…
As mentioned in the introduction, West Ham United have never before visited Serbia, let alone Bačka Topola.
FK TSC hosted their first European tie during the COVID pandemic without supporters present, in September 2020, when they drew 6-6 with FCSB of Romania in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round before losing 5-4 on penalties.
The TSC Arena hosted its first European tie in August 2023, when Braga of Portugal ran out 4-1 winners in the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round second leg tie.
And TSC collected their first European point when they held Olympiacos to a 2-2 draw at their new home on 5 October.
