- Title: Euro 2020: Profile of London and Glasgow
- Date: 30th May 2021
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 12, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMUTER, CHRIS RUSSELL, SAYING: "I think having the championship will be a good thing for the country and it's good that we've got extra matches playing here as well. And we've seen some relaxations (in coronavirus restrictions) things happening and getting some fans in, I think will make a big difference. I mean, I see kids playing in the week, and my children play, and seeing them enjoying sport and being part of it, I think is a big thing. I think for the country it will make a significant difference and really help just get people through what has been a very difficult time." (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, BEN ROACHE, SAYING: "Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I mean, yeah, it will be good for the country, especially with Wembley hosting both the semis and the final itself." (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, JAMES PROUDLOCK, SAYING: "I think, of course it's good to get that going again. I think the country needs a bit of a lift and I think football is one of those avenues. I think every sport is one of those avenues, yeah, definitely." (SOUNDBITE) (English) LONDON RESIDENT, IAN WADHAMS, SAYING: "Yes, it is. Because, I mean, largely it's outdoors so you've got a lot of ventilation. If we're going to allow people back into pubs and restaurants, sports arenas are much better."
- Embargoed: 13th June 2021 17:03
- Keywords: Euro 2020 Euro 2020 tournament Glasgow Hampden Park London Wembley Wembley Stadium city profile football soccer
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND / GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND / GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA007EF1N327
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Group D takes you to the United Kingdom where London and Glasgow are the host cities, including for a match where age-old bitter rivals England and Scotland will take each other on at Wembley Stadium.
London is full of famous landmarks from Buckingham Palace to Big Ben that towers over the Houses of Parliament, from the London Eye to the Shard.
Wembley Stadium has gained Dublin's last-16 match, taking its total number of fixtures to eight which include the semi-finals and final. There will be a minimum capacity of 25% for the group matches and last 16, with a decision on higher capacity for the semis and final expected in early June. Wembley's full capacity is 90,000.
Around 21,000 fans of English teams Chelsea and Leicester City were able to watch their teams battle it out at the FA Cup final in mid-May - the biggest crowd in England since March 2020.
Trafalgar Square will be transformed into a fanzone for the tournament. Giant screens will be set up in the iconic square for a limited number of fans who will have to socially distance as they cheer on their national team until restrictions are due to loosen in the UK from June 21.
The UK has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic and is known for being a country where football brings people together. Londoners said they were hopeful that the capital being the main location for the Euros will bring some much-needed joy and hope for the country.
Meanwhile, Glasgow's Hampden Park will allow around 12,000 fans in the stadium. It will be Scotland's first international tournament since the 1998 World Cup.
Glasgow, Britain's third biggest city, is about an hour's drive west from the Scottish capital Edinburgh and is also due to host the COP26 climate summit in November. People in Glasgow had a level of concern about gatherings of people that the Euros are likely to bring, although there are plans for a fanzone with up to 6,000 soccer lovers on Glasgow Green from June 11.
England and Scotland will face Croatia and the Czech Republic in Group D.
(Production: Ben Dangerfield, Gerhard Mey, Natalie Thomas, Will Russell, Ben Makori, Paul Hardy, Emily Roe) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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