Coronavirus in Scotland: Football fans without a ticket urged not to travel to England for Euros

Scotland fans without a ticket to their team’s Euro 2020 match with England have been warned not to travel to London by mayor Sadiq Khan.

There will be nowhere for large groups to gather in the capital for the match at 8pm on Friday June 18, with the traditional Trafalgar Square meeting place being used as a socially-distanced fan zone for key workers.

About 2,600 tickets have been allocated for Scotland supporters in Wembley, with pubs and bars also expected to limit the number of football fans allowed in during the European Championship, which was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Khan has joined the Scottish Government and Scottish Football Association (SFA) to ask fans not to travel to the city unless they have a ticket, or a safe place to watch the match.

Coronavirus in Scotland: Football fans without a ticket urged not to travel to England for Euros

He said: “I am so excited for Uefa Euro 2020 and one of the games that I am looking forward to the most is England’s match with Scotland at Wembley.

“I have some amazing memories of England v Scotland games in the past and I love the atmosphere that Scottish fans always bring to major football tournaments.

“However, I am today urging all fans to only come to London if you have a ticket for the match or if you have arranged a safe place to watch it from, in compliance with Covid-19 guidelines.”

He added: “I want to be completely clear that Scottish fans will not be able to access their traditional Trafalgar Square base, as it will be used as a socially-distanced fan zone for key workers who are helping our city through the pandemic.

“Due to Covid regulations there are no alternative sites for fans to gather in large numbers in central London.

“We have all been through so much over the last 15 months, and while I know everyone wants to have a great time during the Euros, it is vital that we make sure the competition is safe and takes place in an environment that we can all enjoy.

“If everything goes to plan, Covid restrictions will be lifted on June 21.

“Should that happen, I want to welcome people from all over the UK to the capital with open arms so they can experience our great city.”

Glasgow City Council announced last month it would hold a fan zone event at Glasgow Green for the tournament, which would allow 6,000 people to gather together per day.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Tuesday the plans will be “continually reviewed” in response to concerns about the proposals, with tickets mostly sold out.

Scotland’s Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “I know for many of us Euro 2020 will be one of the highlights of the summer and an opportunity to support our national team.

“As well as the matches played in Glasgow, there will also be huge interest in the Scotland v England game at Wembley.

“Although we have made great progress, we all still have an important part to play in making sure we keep the virus under control.

“So I urge all football fans to plan in advance how you are going to enjoy the tournament and only travel to London for June 18 if you have a ticket or a safe place to watch the match from.”

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