Euro 2020: Ticketless Scottish fans urged not to travel to London for England game

2 June 2021, 20:11 | Updated: 2 June 2021, 20:18

Scottish football fans are being urged not to travel to London for their country’s Euro 2020 match against England unless they have tickets or have arranged a safe place to watch the game.

The match takes place at 8pm on Friday, June 18, with about 2,600 of the 21,500 tickets being sold allocated to Scotland fans.

However, many more supporters are expected to travel to the capital.

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Scottish fans often gather in Trafalgar Square for matches against England but this year the site is being used as a socially-distanced fan zone for key workers.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “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. 

“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, theatres, bars, restaurants and great nightlife.”

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Scotland’s Culture Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “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.” 

Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive, added: “We ask all supporters not to travel to London for our Group D match on June 18 against England unless they have a ticket for the match.”

London is hosting eight matches during the competition, including both semi-finals and the final.