World Cup 2018: Millions of England fans in UK and Russia prepare for quarter-final clash against Sweden

'It's coming home': Fans are readying themselves for England's World Cup quarter final
AFP/Getty Images
Ella Wills7 July 2018

England fans at home and in Russia are preparing to cheer the Three Lions on in their crucial World Cup showdown against Sweden for a place in the semi-finals.

Millions in the UK are set to watch the match from 3pm today as England bid to make the last four of the tournament for the first time in 28 years.

Eager fans will watch the game at pubs and bars up and down the country - hoping to celebrate wildly should Harry Kane and his team achieve victory this afternoon.

Supporters arrived in Samara on Friday ahead of the crunch game, with many England fans partying on the streets of the Russian city until the early hours in anticipation of today's clash.

In Pictures | England's Fifa World Cup 2018

1/50

Temperatures in the UK are set to soar to sweltering highs of 33C for the quarter final, meaning fans watching on big screens outdoors will have to battle heat as well as their nerves.

England fans were partying in Samara on Friday ahead of today's clash against Sweden
REUTERS

The national side will be looking to qualify for their first World Cup semi-final since Italia 90, when they lost on penalties to West Germany, but will have to overcome a record of one win, two defeats and five draws in major tournaments and qualifying campaigns against the Scandinavians.

Previous World Cup victories for the England team have sparked scenes of jubilation at events across the UK as "it's coming home" fever has gripped the nation.

In Pictures | The best images from the Fifa World Cup 2018

1/56

Euphoric fans have been seen letting their love for the side be known in pubs, living rooms and outdoor viewing areas across the country and in Russia.

One video from Boxpark Croydon showed a sea of supporters jumping up and down and embracing each other as beer flew through the air.

Supporters will be hoping to celebrate wildly should the Three Lions be victorious
Getty Images

Handfuls of tickets were available just days before the game and it is unclear if suggestions of a surge in online interest in bookings will result in larger crowd numbers than at previous games such as against Tunisia, when England fans' attendance was said to be the lowest for 30 years.

Skyscanner has seen an 189 per cent surge in flight searches to Samara this week, while the Foreign Office (FCO) said there had been a 165 per cent increase in views of its 'entering and leaving Russia' pages.

Speaking in Samara ahead of the game, Captain Kane has said the team is "ready to do whatever it takes" in today's match.

The 24-year-old said the dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Colombia in the last 16 has brought the team closer together.

Speaking in Samara he said: "“The squad are just like family really."

Kane is the tournament's top scorer with six goals to his name.

At its peak the Three Lion's last win was seen by 23.6 million viewers on ITV.

Live coverage of the match will begin at 2pm on BBC One, anchored by Gary Lineker.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in