From Vienna to Selhurst: The story of the Austrian Eagles

Nico Hofer's love for Crystal Palace began in 2021, when he attended a match at Selhurst Park and met some fans who welcomed him into the Palace family.

Since then, his passion has taken him on countless journeys from his home in Vienna to England, attending home and away games, and even getting a Palace tattoo. He's been to our last two outings at Wembley, and plans to be there for this Sunday's FA Community Shield as well.

It was this passion and his regular travels with other Austrian fans, including Oliver Glasner's son and his friends, which inspired him to create an official fan club.

The ‘Austrian Eagles’ are now a reality – an officially founded association in Austrian law. The club's objectives, outlined in its statutes, focus on creating a community for Palace fans in their country, and helping them attend games and connect with the club.

The fan club's official launch was marked with a special occasion: last week's friendly match against Augsburg at Hofmaninger-Stadion. This was the perfect opportunity to bring together Nico and his fellow Palace-supporting friends from both the UK and his home country.

Speaking to Palace TV, Nico shared the story of the Austrian Eagles and his personal journey as a Palace fan.

Nico's journey to becoming a Palace fan is a story that many can relate to. He was living in the UK four years ago and attended a rainy Monday night game between Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Without a ticket, he approached a random stranger at Selhurst Park, who not only bought him a ticket but also introduced him to his friends.

He said: "I just went into Selhurst Park and asked a random guy whether he can get me a ticket, and he bought me a ticket.

"We went to the pub and the match together and he introduced me to his friends as well. We exchanged numbers and from this moment on, I was kind of in the group. I was in their family and I always went back to them.

"We are now in daily contact, we made friends, and that's for me what football is about: to make memories, to make lifelong friendships. Palace always gave me that.”

He spoke about the growing interest in the club in Austria, which has been significantly boosted by Oliver Glasner's success.

Nico said: “You can definitely see a Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner hype over the last couple of weeks and months.

“Two years ago, not so many people were aware of Crystal Palace... but you can definitely see a hype now.”

He has brought nearly 30 Austrians to Selhurst Park over the last four years, a testament to the club's increasing popularity in his home country.

Nico said: “The plan is definitely to watch it here together with people, we want to create a Crystal Palace platform in Austria to give everyone the opportunity to join us, to go to games together in England as well to support them, to get tickets with our knowledge of how you get tickets and everything.”

A highlight of the game against Augsburg was the special moment when Nico and the Austrian Eagles presented the Palace manager and his coaching staff with honorary lifetime memberships to the fan club (pictured above).

Speaking about the Palace boss, Nico said: "I mean, Oliver Glasner is a great guy in my opinion. He's an amazing manager. I was so happy when I heard that he's taking over Crystal Palace.

"He did something amazing for the club, for South London, for all the Crystal Palace fans around the world – and for Austria as well.

"And because of him, so many other Austrians are following Palace, and that's something amazing which will change the Crystal Palace fans landscape in Austria forever."

The Austrian Eagles are a testament to the global reach of Crystal Palace and the power of football to forge friendships and communities.

Their passion and dedication have created a hub for Austrian fans to share their love for the club, and with the support of Glasner and his coaching staff, the fan club's future looks bright.

Nico's personal journey will continue with his third trip to Wembley for the Community Shield on Sunday – proving that once you're part of the Palace family, you're in it for life.

You can follow the Austrian Eagles on X and on Instagram here.

Find out more about our International Supporters Clubs here.