England vs Denmark: Three Lions fans eagerly await crucial Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley
ITV News Correspondent Richard Pallot talks to excited England fans ahead of tonight's match
England football fans are preparing to cheer their team to victory in Wednesday night’s crucial Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark, which could see the men's team within touching distance of victory on the European stage for the first time in more than half a century.
Three Lions supporters are expected to get through nearly 10 million pints in pubs and beer gardens on Wednesday, while the majority of the 60,000 supporters inside Wembley for the semi-final showdown with Denmark later will hope to create a typically partisan, and very loud, atmosphere.
"Hopefully we can be singing Sweet Caroline after" - England captain Harry Kane on tonight's "tough game" against Denmark at Wembley and getting Three Lions' fans "on their feet"
President of the Football Association Prince William will be among those inside the ground to watch the match, which will be the first time the men’s team has made it to the semi-final of a European Championship since an ill-fated penalty shoot-out defeat to Germany at Euro 96.
The England team are off to Wembley as they depart their hotel ahead of tonight's crunch match which could see them make history
England captain Harry Kane said the team was better prepared than they had been three years ago when the Three Lions lost to Croatia in the World Cup semi-final.
Kane said the team had grown in confidence "game-by-game" but said it would be a "very tough" match against Denmark.
"Denmark have done brilliantly. They lost their first two games, got through the group. They rallied together to do that and they've got better each game as well. It shows their personality, it shows their mental toughness as a team.
"We going to have to be ready for them, they're a great team on the ball and they're got a great feeling of togetherness as well."
England manager Gareth Southgate, who saw his penalty saved in the sudden death shootout 25 years ago, will be hoping his team can go at least one better and make it to the final, also at Wembley, on Sunday evening.
Fans had already started to gather at Wembley Stadium. Some had paid hundreds of pounds for the chance to be there on what could be an historic night. England fans without tickets for the Uefa fan zone in Trafalgar Square were gathering in the area to avoid “missing out” on the atmosphere.
Emma Hayes, the manager of Chelsea Women, believes being at Wembley is one of a number of factors that will count in England’s favour, but she warned against writing off Denmark, who have reached this stage despite talisman Christian Eriksen suffering a cardiac arrest in their opening match.
“I think it’s an extraordinary opportunity for England,” Hayes told ITV.
“The fact that there’s a huge home advantage, there’s momentum, there’s a feelgood factor, there’s a freshness in the group, you can see the hunger and determination in the players and the belief they’ve got in each other.
“That being said, Denmark are a team that are united by a very, very extreme experience, with Christian having a cardiac arrest, so you can’t underestimate that and, while the omens are not great for Denmark, the togetherness they have in their group means they’re going to be an extremely difficult opponent to beat.”
Tonight’s semi-final kicks off at 8pm, with tens of millions expected to watch the match on ITV.
Victory will see them in their first major final since the 1966 World Cup.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity" - Friends David Taylor George Smith and Charlie Dallimore-Crook paid £530 each for a ticket - bought before England had beaten Ukraine - but say the experience will be priceless.
Italy await the winners of Wednesday’s match following a semi-final victory against Spain on Tuesday in which they triumphed on penalties when the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among those urging the England team on, saying: “Gareth Southgate and the England squad have done the nation proud in the Euros, and tonight we will all be wishing them the best of luck in getting to the final. Bring it home!”
England v Denmark: What you need to know about the Euro 2020 semi-final
When is the match happening?
When is the match happening?
The Euro 2020 semi-final kicks off at 8pm on Wednesday 7 July at Wembley Stadium.
Can I get a ticket?
Can I get a ticket?
The FA has said the England Supporters Travel club will have an allocation of nearly 8,500 tickets for the game, with remaining tickets going on sale to those who applied for tickets in the original ticket application process in 2019 but did not choose to return them or requested a refund. Otherwise, it looks like there isn't another way to get tickets - all tickets for the games are sold via the Uefa ticket portal and both England's semi-final and the final are marked as sold out.
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
Where can I watch the game on TV or online?
The game will be broadcast on ITV, with coverage starting from 6.30pm. It will also be available to stream online on the ITV Hub (for viewers in the UK only).
When is the final?
When is the final?
The Euro 2020 final will take place at Wembley on Sunday 11 July at 8pm.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also had words of encouragement for the squad, adding: “Gareth Southgate and the squad will have the whole nation behind them tonight.
"Both on and off the pitch, they have shown the best of England.
"There’s been only one song featured in our house since Saturday – it’s coming home”.
The band of the Coldstream Guards perform Three Lions
Those watching from outside venues may need to be prepared for all weathers, with sunshine and showers forecast for parts of England throughout the day.
Watch England v Denmark live on ITV and ITV Hub on Wednesday 7 July - coverage begins from 6.30pm, kick off at 8pm