Thousands of England fans descend on Gelsenkirchen ahead of Three Lions' first Euro 2024 match against Serbia

16 June 2024, 15:13

England fans in Gelsenkirchen
England fans in Gelsenkirchen. Picture: Alamy

By Kit Heren

Thousands of England fans have descended on Gelsenkirchen ahead of the national side's opening game against Serbia on Sunday night.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Fans were pictured drinking, chanting, arm-wrestling and having kickabouts in the centre of the west German city on Sunday.

England go into the tournament among the favourites, but lost their last warm-up game to Iceland on Friday.

Traditional heavyweights Germany, Italy and Spain have all made winning starts to the Euros, with the hosts thrashing Scotland 5-1 on Friday night in the tournament curtain-raiser.

Some 300,000 England fans are thought to have made the trip to Germany for the Euros, although only a minority of those will be in the stadium itself on Sunday night.

Read more: England fans warned of 'violence-seeking Serbian hooligans' ahead of 'high-risk' Euros opener

Read more: England fans to be served low-alcohol beer at first Euros game against Serbia deemed 'high risk' due to 'hooligan fans'

England fans in Heinrich-Konig-Platz in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024.
England fans in Heinrich-Konig-Platz in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024. Picture: Alamy
England fan Terry Rose (right) in Heinrich-Konig-Platz in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024.
England fan Terry Rose (right) in Heinrich-Konig-Platz in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024. Picture: Alamy
England fans in Heinrich-Konig-Platz in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024.
England fans in Heinrich-Konig-Platz in Gelsenkirchen ahead of the UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Sunday June 16, 2024. Picture: Alamy

England fans were warned ahead of the Euros of 500 “violence-seeking Serbian hooligans” expected to attend the Sunday night game.

England’s recent Euros campaigns have been plagued with violence, most notably before their opening game in France in 2016 against Russia and ahead of the final of the last tournament

There appears to have been little trouble so far in the build-up, although one England fan was arrested and then released after a dispute with a fellow supporter.

Before the tournament there was some debate about the longstanding 'Ten German Bombers' song, with fans warned by German authorities that they faced arrest if they chanted it.

Serbian fans cheer ahead the Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Serbian fans cheer ahead the Group C match between Serbia and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber). Picture: Alamy

Despite this, fans have been seen singing the chant, and there were even reports some German locals saw the funny side and joined in.

Meanwhile Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer wished Gareth Southgate and his men good luck before the game.

England fans in Gelsenkirchen. England take on Serbia tomorrow in their UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Saturday June 15, 2024.
England fans in Gelsenkirchen. England take on Serbia tomorrow in their UEFA Euro 2024 Group C match at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Picture date: Saturday June 15, 2024. Picture: Alamy

Arsenal fan Sir Keir said: "There is no feeling like the build up to the first England game of an international tournament: the pubs filling up, the flags waving, the nerves and excitement building.

"As fans up and down the country get ready for kick off, I want to wish Gareth and the team all the best on behalf of the Labour Party.

"We will be with you for every twist, turn and VAR decision. England is behind you. Make it a summer to remember."

Elsewhere in Germany, a man was shot by police in Hamburg on Saturday after brandishing a knife and a molotov cocktail close to a fan zone for Dutch fans. He is being treated for his injuries.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Lisa Smith, 43, was with a female friend when she was killed outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent.

'She's dead. I can't live': Haunting final words of Valentines Day shooting suspect revealed

Steve Bannon has been accused of giving a 'Nazi salute'.

Steve Bannon denies using 'Nazi salute' and claims he was waving to crowd

An urgent search is currently underway in Teeside in the hunt for a missing runner, after her vehicle was found abandoned on the roadside.

Urgent hunt for missing runner, 23, as police become 'increasingly concerned' for her safety

Hamas names six Israeli hostages set for release on Saturday

Hamas release first two Israeli hostages from Rafah - with four more set to be freed under ceasefire deal

Piran Ditta Khan has died in jail

Gang boss behind PC Sharon Beshenivsky's murderer dies behind bars months after being locked up

Donald Trump said Zelenskyy and Putin need to 'work together'

Donald Trump says Putin and Zelenskyy 'need to work together' as he denies he's planning 'trip to Moscow'

Salman Rushdie

Man found guilty of attempted murder over Salman Rushdie attack

Diddy's lawyer has quit the sex trafficking case, a New York court heard today

‘I cannot continue’: Sean 'Diddy' Combs' lawyer quits sex trafficking case

Police officers work at the scene where a person was stabbed near the memorial of the murdered jews of Europe in Berlin

Man seriously injured in stabbing at Berlin Holocaust Memorial as police hunt suspect

Kara Alexander, 47, of Dagenham, east London, murdered Elijah Thomas, two, and Marley Thomas, five

Drug addict mother guilty of murdering her two sons then leaving bodies in bunk bed for their dad to find

The hand was found at Our Lady Immaculate school in Darndale

Mystery of ‘severed hand’ found near school in Dublin

The US has held 'positive' talks with Zelenskyy

Ukraine has 'no cards left to play' Trump claims as he slams Starmer for 'doing nothing' to end Russia's war

Pope Francis's doctors say he is 'not out of danger'

Pope Francis ‘not out of danger,’ says doctors who have prescribed ‘absolute rest’

The three brothers have been jailed for dozens of child sex offences

Three brothers jailed for sexually abusing and grooming dozens of young girls in Leeds

iPhone security update.

Urgent warning for iPhone users as Apple to remove highest level of data protection amid government security row

Steve Bannon has been accused of giving a 'Nazi' salute

Donald Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon accused of doing 'Nazi salute' during speech