As England prepares for a historic showdown against Spain in the Euro 2024 final, thousands of English fans have descended upon Berlin, with many set to watch from inside the Olympiastadion while countless others have come to soak up the electrifying atmosphere in the city.

English media outlets report that around 50,000 England fans are arriving in the German capital to support Gareth Southgate’s team in their quest to secure the country’s first major tournament victory since 1966.

Officially, England fans have been allocated 10,000 tickets for the final. However, many have secured additional tickets through general sales, and a significant number are in Berlin without tickets, simply to be part of the historic event.

The influx of fans began in the days leading up to the match, with supporters eager to experience the excitement and camaraderie. Regardless of their ticket status, all England supporters share the hope of seeing their team triumph, aiming to go one better than the last men’s Euros final on home soil and emulate the success of the Lionesses in 2022.

The massive fan turnout in Berlin mirrors the immense support back home.

In 2021, the Euro 2020 final drew a peak TV audience of 31 million in the UK as England narrowly lost to Italy on penalties, making it the third most-watched UK TV event ever.

The semi-final against the Netherlands on Wednesday night was watched by an average of 19.6 million people, peaking at 21.6 million, according to ITV – the highest figure since England’s 2022 World Cup quarter-final against France.

Many fans purchased their tickets well in advance, dreaming of another successful run to the final. Others made spontaneous decisions to travel by plane, train, or car, eager to be part of the festivities even if it means watching the match in fan zones rather than inside the stadium itself.

Vanguard News