On planes as our footie faithful race for Russia

TEN thousand England fans will flood Russia to watch the Three Lions make history.

Some 35million viewers are also poised to tune in at home, in the biggest live TV sport audience since the 1966 World Cup final 52 years ago.

Kane’s gang beat Sweden 2-0 to book a semi-final place in Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium.

The stage is now set for a repeat of the famous Italia 90 World Cup semi-final fans’ invasion.

Fans sent online searches for flights to Moscow rocketing by up to 1,000% after yesterday’s win.

Flights leaving tomorrow or Tuesday and returning after next Sunday’s final cost from £247.

FA supporters’ club members can snap up the FA’s 5,000 tickets for the semi-final, while FIFA.com is expected to put semi-final tickets on sale costing from £219.

Black-market tickets are understood to be easy to obtain from Russian fans outside stadiums.

British Airways is laying on bigger planes to fly 6,000 people to Russia until Wednesday.

A spokesman said: “We expect increased flight searches to Russia as the team progresses.” Around 12,000 England fans have already supported the team in Russia, with many on single-game trips from the UK.

Supporters’ chiefs said a rush for the semi-final would be a repeat of fans’ last-minute dash to Italy for the 1990 World Cup semi with West Germany in Turin.

Thousands of England fans cheered on Bobby Robson’s men, inspired by star player Paul Gascoigne.

Now, armchair fans want to join the Russian carnival.

Author Mark Perryman, who has travelled to World Cups since the 1990s, said: “England fans will think ‘I could witness history, why not be

there to see it?’. The England fans who are here already are saying those who didn’t come will regret it as they’re having a fantastic time.”

Those at home will be glued to the BBC on Wednesday for the semi-final in Moscow, with experts predicting huge ratings as “patriotism and pride” attracts more fans than ever.

They will hope the BBC’s iPlayer streaming platform plays ball, after the service went down yesterday around three minutes before the final whistle.

One annoyed fan posted on Twitter: “TOTALLY thrilled to miss the last 3 minutes of the match iplayer (and it’s still down). Tell me again why I bother paying a license fee?”

England fans also face a rip off with pairs of final tickets being offered for £10,774.

Russian fans who bought seats are thought to be selling on tickets for up to seven times face value.

Mr Perryman added: “It’s happened before to England fans in World Cups, when people who bought tickets resell them.”

Meanwhile a video of England fans singing at an unnamed UK Ikea store went viral last night.

Fans chanting Football’s coming home jumped on beds and furniture in the Swedish owned department store.