Belgian fans ask Lille residents for lodging after quarter-finals

Red Devils fans with a ticket to Friday's quarter-final match in Lille are using social media to help them find lodging for the night. With the hashtag #AdopteUnBelge, the fans are hoping to find a place to sleep in the city following the European Football Championship (Euro 2016) match against Wales, writes Het Laatste Nieuws.

According to the initiators, many Belgians want to go to Lille to support the national team, but all of the hotels are fully booked. They therefore launched #AdopteUnBelge in the hopes that locals will open their homes to the Belgian fans.

Even the French minister for sport, Patrick Kanner, a native of Lille, has called on his compatriots to show their hospitality, but so far the initiative has resulted in only a handful of offers.

The Pierre Mauroy Stadium can hold 50,000 football fans, but thousands of Belgians are expected to arrive in Lille on Friday, with or without a ticket to the match.