ICONIC SQUARE COULD HOST A EURO FANZONE
PLANS IN PIPELINE TO SCREEN ALL ENGLAND GAMES
EVERY England match at this summer’s European Championship will be screened at a fanpark in Trafalgar Square, if plans submitted by the Mayor’s office are approved.
The proposals are for all seven matches at Wembley to be shown on screens at the 12,500-capacity fanzone, as well as England’s potential last-16 and quarterfinal ties.
Gareth Southgate’s side play all three of their group games at the national stadium, which will also host both semi-finals and the final.
If England, skippered by Harry Kane (right), win their group, they are due to play a last-16 tie in Dublin and a quarter-final in Rome, although the status of both cities as hosts is currently in doubt, and these matches would also be shown live.
The plans submitted by the Greater London Authority are subject to a licensing application, which will be heard at Westminster City Council later this month.
England begin the delayed tournament against Croatia on June 13, before facing Scotland on June 18 and the Czech Republic on June 22.
Under lockdown regulations, social-distancing measures would be in place for the first two matches at the fan-park, with the GLA preparing to significantly increase the capacity after June 21, when all restrictions are scheduled to end. Tickets would be required for all match-days at the park, which would be free and allocated by ballot.
The GLA plan to remove the fan-park infrastructure between match-days except between July 8-10, between the second semi-final and final.
London is one of 12 cities set to host the Euros, with the FA having guaranteed that 90,000-capacity Wembley will welcome back 22,500 supporters for England’s three group games. There are hopes that the capacity could be closer to 50 per cent — 45,000 — for the semi-finals and final.
Proposals for a Euro 2020 Football Village at Potters Fields Park, near City Hall, are also being considered.