UK: FANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD STREAM TO WEMBLEY STADIUM FOR START OF WORLD CUP FOOTBALL CONTEST

Record ID: 496381

  • Title: UK: FANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD STREAM TO WEMBLEY STADIUM FOR START OF WORLD CUP FOOTBALL CONTEST
  • Date: 11th July 1966
  • Summary: 1. GTV CROWDS 0.09 2. CU PROGRAMME PULL BACK TO SMALL BOY HOLDING SAME 0.14 3. SV GROUP OF MEN ARRIVE 0.25 4. SCU BOY IN WORLD CUP SWEATER SELLING FLAG 0.35 5. CU MONKEY WEARING SWEATER 0.45 6. SV BADGES AND STAMPS BEING SOLD 0.56 7. SV BAND PLAYING 1.04 8. CU MAN WEARING COWBOY HAT 1.15 9. BV MEN ARRIVE CARRYING FLAGS PULL BACK TO SHOW STADIUM 1.26 10. SV PAN QUEEN ARRIVES IN CAR 1.39 11. GV CROWDS WALKING TOWARDS CAMERA AND INTO STADIUM 1.43 12. BV CROWDS WALKING TOWARDS STADIUM PULL BACK TO GV OF STADIUM 1.59 Initials GEM/V/CCT/OS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 26th July 1966 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: LONDON, UK
  • City:
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA1OUSSDCDEP6QAE8XFD0EGE54N
  • Story Text: A HUGE INTERNATIONAL CROWD OF FOOTBALL FANS WAS STREAMING TO THE EMPIRE STADIUM IN THE LONDON SUBURB OF WEMBLEY TODAY (MONDAY) FOR THE START OF THE WORLD CUP SOCCER CONTEST.

    AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS, THE CONTENDERS FOR THE MOST COVETED TROPHY IN FOOTBALL HAD BEEN WHITTLED DOWN TO SIXTEEN NATIONS. THE KICKOFF THAT MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THREE WEEKS OF TOP FOOTBALL WAS BETWEEN URUGUAY AND THEIR HOSTS, THE ENGLISH TEAM.

    THERE WAS A NEAR-CAPACITY CROWD OF 90,000, AND THEY'D BEEN ARRIVING AT THE STADIUM THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE THOUSANDS OF ENTHUSIASTS HAVE POURED INTO THE BRITISH CAPITAL AT THE HEIGHT OF THE TOURIST SEASON, AND TRANSPORT AND TOURIST ORGANISATIONS HAVE SET UP SPECIAL INFORMATION CENTRES FOR THEM.

    THERE'S ALSO BEEN PLENTIFUL COMMERCIAL RECOGNITION OF THE POTENTIAL OF THE GREAT FOOTBALL FESTIVAL. THE POST OFFICE GOT IN EARLY WITH A SPECIAL ISSUE OF STAMPS....THE FIRST IN BRITAIN TO FEATURE SPORTSMEN.

    TWO YOUNG FOOTBALL FANS STARTED THE WORLD CUP COLLECTORS CLUB TO SUPPLY SOUVENIRS TO ITS MEMBERS. THEY SOON HAD THOUSANDS OF MEMBERS WANTING THEIR SWEATERS, TIES, HATS AND DIARIES. SONGWRITERS JOINED IN WITH SPECIAL WORLD CUP POP TUNES, AND A MARCH WAS WRITTEN FOR THE OCCASION.

    WITH THEIR FLAGS AND BADGES, THE SUPPORTERS CROWDED INTO THE STADIUM. AND THERE WAS A DISTINGUISHED ARRIVAL AMONG THEM....QUEEN ELIZABETH AND THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH ARRIVED BY CAR SHORTLY BEFORE THE QUEEN OFFICIALLY DECLARED THE WORLD CUP COMPETITION OPEN. THEN THEY SETTLED INTO THE ROYAL BOX TO WATCH URUGUAY AND ENGLAND DRAW WITH NO SCORE ON EITHER SIDE.
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