Football Travel: Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace

One of Europe’s major political centres is perhaps a surprising place to find an impressive ultra scene and a competitive club with an English manager. However, Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace is a club that is knocking at the door of European competition with an expanding ground. I went along to experience Les Bleu et Blanc (The Blue and White) for myself.

Students of history may know the name ‘Alsace-Lorraine’ as a much-contested area that has changed hands between France and Germany several times over the centuries. During the first four decades of the club that is now Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace, the region flip-flopped four times between the two European powerhouses.

A brief history of Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace

Racing Club started life in 1906 as Fußball Club Neudorf when Strasbourg was part of Germany. By 1914, the club had moved to the site that now houses its current Stade de Meinau. The Great War broke out that year, and as part of French post-war settlement demands, Alsace became part of France once more. FC Neudorf was renamed the far more French-sounding Racing Club de Strasbourg, inspired by the Parisian namesake, and by the early 1930s, the side was regularly competing for the Ligue 1 title.

However, during World War II, Alsace-Lorraine was occupied by the Nazis and reclaimed as German soil. During this time, Racing Club was renamed Rasensportsclub Straßburg (Lawn Sports Club Strasbourg) and played in Germany’s highest regional amateur league, the Gauliga Elsaß. 

As I covered in my second book, The Defiant: A History of Football Against Fascism, many Racing Club players either fled or asked others to inflict injuries on them to avoid being conscripted into the German army. Most famously, star player and France international Oscar Heisserer fought the advancing Nazis in the defence of France in 1940 before escaping to neutral Switzerland. Even German striker Oskar Rohr joined the French Foreign Legion rather than fight for the Nazis.

In one famous act of defiance under occupation, Racing Club players switched their traditional white socks for red ones, so their kit matched the blue, white and red of the French tricolore. Heisserer would return to the club after the war, having returned to the city with Allied forces.

Strasbourg returned to France after the war and has remained that way since, and is one of the European Union’s political capitals.

The club won its first and so-far only Ligue 1 in 1978/79 under manager Gilbert Gress, and featured future Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger in midfield. The club has also won the Coupe de France three times and the Coupe de la Ligue four times, most recently in 2018/19.

As a one-club city, Strasbourg’s big rival is its nearest is Metz, although they are currently in the second tier Ligue 2.

The matchday experience at Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace

The club has been up and down in recent years, including financial difficulties in 2011 that saw the club relegated down to the fifth tier, and had to work its way back to the top-flight. In 2023, Racing Club saw a majority takeover from Chelsea owners BlueCo.

When I visited in April 2025, Strasbourg fans held up a couple of banners complaining about the ownership. However, the club is challenging for European places under former Fulham and Brighton defender Liam Rosenior.  

At the time of my visit, the Stade de la Meinau – a host ground for the 1938 World Cup in France and Euro ’84 – was being expanded. It reminded me a little of Birmingham City’s St. Andrew’s ground, another blue-seated bowl. It will hold 32,000-plus when completed, but for my match the attendance was 19,210.

Much to my surprise, Strasbourg and visiting side OGC Nice came onto the pitch to the sound of Three Lions, England’s Euro 1996 anthem. The match started quietly, with the ultras in the North End silent for the first ten minutes with just a couple of protest banners before kicking into action. By the middle of the second half and after two goals in quick succession, the Racing Club ultras were bouncing.

Watch my video for more:

Visiting Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace

The Stade de la Meinau is about 2.5km from the centre of Strasbourg. It is served by trams, but I chose to walk from the centre of town. I bought my ticket online from the club’s official site, although the match date and time wasn’t confirmed until a few weeks beforehand. I also had to set up an account and download my digital ticket a few days ahead. 

I had a standing ticket for €13, although next time I’ll spend twice that for a seat and a better view. Ticket prices appear to be banded according to the calibre of the opponent.