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One for the away day die-hards...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40078220

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"How far would you travel to watch your team play a league game? About 100 miles? 300? How about 5,500? Each way.

Well that is the decision facing some Russian Premier League fans after SKA-Khabarovsk were promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history.

Based about 15 miles from the Chinese border, Khabarovsk - who play at the Lenin Stadium - beat Orenburg on penalties in a promotion-relegation play-off to cause some major logistical headaches for next season.

Khabarovsk is a seven-hour and 45-minute flight from the Russian capital Moscow and even further from St Petersburg. For those who can't fly, it's a four-and-a-half-day drive or five and a half days to the capital if you fancy the train(s).

So for a round trip, you probably need to be booking two weeks off work.

For comparison, the much-maligned Carlisle United to Plymouth Argyle trip in the English lower leagues is a six-hour drive each way - 5% of the travel time Khabarovsk fans - and visitors - face.

However, that's not the longest trip in world football. There are occasionally journeys of over 10,000 miles in the French Cup with teams from French-ruled New Caledonia and French Polynesia - to the east of Australia - both allowed into the tournament."

Comments

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    I'm just imagining if they qualified for the Champions League...
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    They call the Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix games 'The Distance Derby'.
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    Khabarovsk is so far away, they haven't got round to removing the "Lenin" name from their stadium yet!
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    I'm just imagining if they qualified for the Champions League...

    In all seriousness though, would a team so clearly out of Europe even be allowed to enter?
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    However, that's not the longest trip in world football. There are occasionally journeys of over 10,000 miles in the French Cup with teams from French-ruled New Caledonia and French Polynesia - to the east of Australia - both allowed into the tournament.
    Do the French Cup winners qualify for the Europa League?
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    Leeds fans would claim they'd take 6000 on a Tuesday.
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    I'm just imagining if they qualified for the Champions League...

    In all seriousness though, would a team so clearly out of Europe even be allowed to enter?
    Yes, if Russia is part of UEFA then they can get in the Champions or Europa League.

    Azerbaijan and Kakazkhstan teams play in European competition although not geographically part of Europe but in UEFA.

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    iaitch said:

    I'm just imagining if they qualified for the Champions League...

    In all seriousness though, would a team so clearly out of Europe even be allowed to enter?
    Yes, if Russia is part of UEFA then they can get in the Champions or Europa League.

    Azerbaijan and Kakazkhstan teams play in European competition although not geographically part of Europe but in UEFA.

    Imagine if Russia went back into the Eurovision song contest, won it then held it there as a big eff you to the rest of Europe.
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    Scoham said:

    However, that's not the longest trip in world football. There are occasionally journeys of over 10,000 miles in the French Cup with teams from French-ruled New Caledonia and French Polynesia - to the east of Australia - both allowed into the tournament.
    Do the French Cup winners qualify for the Europa League?

    Yes they do... automatic qualification to the Group Stages
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    I'm currently figuring out flight options for Cork Citys first round in the Europa League. The draw is three weeks today, and the first leg is 10 days after the draw so very little time to organise flights and hotels. Among the teams we can face are three Kazakh teams including FC Irtysh in Pavlodar. Our options to get there include a 2000 euro flight or an 800 euro flight and a 7 hour drive. Not quite as far as this game but 5,845 KM each way by plane.
    We could also play in Azerbaijan and our best option to get there involves a layover in Dubai. "Europa League".

    Alternatively we could play in Belfast again.
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    ....and here I am thinking that Plymouth (new ground for me) is going to be a fair old trek this coming season.
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    edited May 2017

    Scoham said:

    However, that's not the longest trip in world football. There are occasionally journeys of over 10,000 miles in the French Cup with teams from French-ruled New Caledonia and French Polynesia - to the east of Australia - both allowed into the tournament.

    Do the French Cup winners qualify for the Europa League?

    Yes they do... automatic qualification to the Group Stages
    Trying to find out the furthest an "outer mer" team has gone in Coupe de France.

    This season, a team from Reunion Island played away at Lille in the round of 64.

    Last season, a different team from Reunion played away at Ajaccio in round of 64.

    In 2015, a team from Martinique got to round of 64 and played away at Nantes.

    No idea if they're required to play away to save the mainland teams a long flight...
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    There is nowhere I would not travel to see Charlton.

    The furthest I have managed is Valencia in 2006.
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    Imagine a 5 day dj coach trip. How many service station stops, how many times can you watch Millwall away in the night back in 95, how much of Simon Bradley's book, The Railways, nation, network and people could you get through.

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    Seb would be booking his flights the day the fixtures came out :)
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    There is nowhere I would not travel to get a couple of free pints.

    The furthest I have managed is Valencia in 2006.

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    There is nowhere I would not travel to see Charlton.

    The furthest I have managed is Valencia in 2006.

    except to the Valley ((:>)
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    Falklands away in the FA Cup, the dream.
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    There is nowhere I would not travel to get a couple of free pints.

    The furthest I have managed is Valencia in 2006.

    The Estrella was very nice.
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    There is nowhere I would not travel to get a couple of free pints.

    The furthest I have managed is Valencia in 2006.

    The Estrella was very nice.
    Got to be San Miguel when in Spain.
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    a Home game for me is over 10,000 miles each way.
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    There is nowhere I would not travel to get a couple of free pints.

    The furthest I have managed is Valencia in 2006.

    The Estrella was very nice.

    There is nowhere I would not travel to get a couple of free pints.

    The furthest I have managed is Valencia in 2006.

    The Estrella was very nice.
    Got to be San Miguel when in Spain.
    Estrella is cheaper.
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