Join us for the 7th Annual FC USA Meetup!
Every year the Effzeh USA community hosts a meetup to get together, watch an 1. FC Köln match, and take in a local soccer match. We'll have local supporters to show us around, too. Follow @effzehusa.com on Bluesky for up-to-date info during the meetup. This year we are taking the FC Meetup to Chicago, Illinois: September or October. We hope to see you again this year in Chicago!
Welcome to Chicago, Illinois! We're so excited to be visiting Chicago this year for the Effzeh USA meetup. Chicago is the largest local fan club in the United States, so we're expecting this to be our largest meetup yet! Please fill out this form to join our 1. FC Köln USA Supporters Discord server and become a member. It's the best way to stay up to date on the meetup and other stuff going on in the world of 1. FC Köln.​
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Everyone coming to the meetup will have access to a group Signal chat. We will use that to update everyone with any last minute changes, moves, notices, etc. We hope you'll accept the Signal invite when it goes out.
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We also have a Google Doc you can utilize. This will be updated on the fly if we have any last minute changes since the website is a little slower to update. Our full schedule will be continuously updated on the Google Doc with all necessary info. Here's the basic sample outline we have! Come join us for all or part of the meetup!
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Thursday
07:00PM until late - Since a lot of people already live in Chicago, we will likely meet up somewhere on Thursday evening. Stay tuned for more info!
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FRIDAY
07:00PM until late - Official Meet ’n’ Greet and drinks at location TBD
SATURDAY
11:00AM - Meetup at AJ Hudson's to watch the Köln match
01:00PM - Trivia & hangout
03:00PM - Pregame at location TBD for the local match.
06:15PM - Head into the stadium
07:00PM - Kick Off
Post Game: Head over to location TBD for post game drinks
SUNDAY
10:30AM Brunch TBD

+ Post Brunch Activities for those local or staying longer.
Friday Night Drinks
Everyone will be arriving at different times, but we will have an official welcome party on Friday night as people get in. More details to come.
Effzeh Trivia
We've been hosting a special Effzeh Trivia game every year, and look forward to testing your knowledge of der FC!
1. FC Köln Watch Party
We'll be watching a match together live! We have to wait until the schedule is released to know what day/time and where we we be. Stay tuned!
Effzeh Pregame
We will host some sort of pregame before the local game. It will either be at a bar, or a tailgate of the stadium. More details to come!
Local Match
We will be going to a local match in person this weekend. We are waiting for the Effzeh schedule to be released so we know what weekend we'll be hosting the meetup. We'll either be going to a Chicago Fire, Chicago Red Stars, or Edgewater Castle match.
Sunday Brunch
Finally, before everyone heads out of town, join us for brunch! We'll have more details as they become available.
Where to Stay.
We'll have more information on this as we get closer to the event.​​​​​
FAQs.
Q: Do we buy tickets to the local match or should I get my own?
A: We'll have more info soon!
Q: I already have tickets to the match. Can I still RSVP?
A: Yes! The RSVP link is for both locals who already have tickets, and for out-of-towners who need them. We want to make sure to have everyone's info so we can keep you updated via email.
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Q: I'm not sure if I can go or not, should I still RSVP?
A: Yes. We will email you a few times as we approach the deadline to remind you to confirm, and we will keep you updated about the event to make sure you are up-to-date.
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Q: Is this event family friendly?
A: Absolutely! Kids are welcome at most of the events, though the late night events at bars will likely be 21+. Everything during the day through the local match is family friendly.
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Q: I don't know much about the team, is that ok?
A: Everyone started somewhere with their Effzeh fandom. Some of us were born into it, others adopted it just this year. We really hope you'll feel welcome regardless of your background. You don't have to be a diehard fan to join us.
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Q: You really didn't answer my question. How do I contact you?
A: You can email us at fckoeln.us at gmail or message us at @effzeusa.com on Bluesky. We're happy to answer any questions you might have!