LAST UPDATE | 11 Jul 2021
A ‘SMALL NUMBER’ of fans were able to force their way into Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2020 final this evening, London police said, amid scenes of disorder in the British capital ahead of the historic game.
“Earlier this afternoon there was a breach of security at Wembley Stadium, which resulted in a small number of people getting into the stadium without a ticket,” the Metropolitan Police said.
“Officers worked closely with security officials to prevent any further breaches.
“We will also support action by Wembley Stadium officials to identify those without tickets and eject them.”
A Wembley spokesperson added stadium stewards and security were working to remove the intruders.
“Anyone inside the stadium without a ticket will be instantly ejected,” the spokesperson said.
The breach came as hundreds of ticketless fans tried to storm Wembley’s outer gates in a bid to gain entry to England’s contest against Italy.
Footage posted on social media showed supporters battling to get past lines of stewards and police as the atmosphere turned ugly in the hours before kick-off.
Some fans shown in the videos appeared to get past the fences and towards the venue. However, Wembley officials and police had earlier insisted there was no breach of stadium security and no ticketless fans had entered the actual ground.
The mood outside Wembley and in central London grew increasingly febrile well before kick-off as thousands of fans gathered on Olympic Way.
Some drunken fans were throwing beer cans and bottles as well as traffic cones, with red flares and fireworks set off.
Social distancing was ignored as maskless supporters congregated in large groups on the concrete approach to the stadium.
Meanwhile in Trafalgar Square in the city centre, a group of England fans tried to storm into a fan zone for 1,500 supporters who had won tickets in an online ballot.
Police said they were on-site to defuse the situation.
England has been gripped by Euro fever since Gareth Southgate’s side booked the country’s first major final appearance for 55 years.
The Three Lions are aiming to win a first trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
With coronavirus restrictions still in place, the final capacity at Wembley has been limited to 67,500, with around 7,500 seats reserved for Italy fans.
Eddie’s just disappointed his profits are taking a hit.
@Paul Mallon: he is a business man in all fairness.
Weird that music promotors seem to make plenty of money all the time in Croker, Hearn just chancing his arm looking to make more money. Ringside tickets will cost a few hundred minimum so he would stand to make more than any music concert plus he would be able to have Hill 16 open which you wouldn’t get at a gig.
Because the GAA are trying to milk it. Hearn can’t milk it. As he says himself that’s business
So it’s gone from twice as expensive to three times as expensive. Negotiations are going well.
So we have CP at a risky 80K and his option at 8K. Has he looked outside of these options, that’s all we have here 8K or 80K. What about 50K at the Aviva? 45K at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
There are more options in Ireland between 8 and 80K capacity.
I think this man just wants PPV, and or to get KT a fight, any fight at home. I don’t imagine it’s what she really imagined or deserved but it looks like he’d rather blame CP than list some other options.
@Niall Stone: Aviva will be hosting the Heineken cup final that evening so that’s a non starter.
@baz dunne: Point is there must be other options. He switched a fighter, switch the date
As he says it is a risk as it’s a less attractive fight now. Would this fight attract 80K? His second fight option would be less likely to attract a full house and he knows it, cold feet.
Steve Collins got good crowds in Cork, or select a different night.
In my opinion, he wants to go for safe PPV money, minimally meet KTs desire to fight in Ireland, hold the Amanda Serrano fight somewhere else all the while blaming the GAA. He could do more, be proactive rather than keep churning out the same sad story about CP.
He’s like a guy arguing with a bouncer to get into a nightclub, move on, go somewhere else.
8K tickets for KTs home match is underwhelming. She deserves more, he’s her agent not the GAA.
No doubt he’s right, The grab all association were always going to try and milk this for all its worth and more.
@baz dunne: Ah here,I’m not beyond having a go at the GAA,but Eddie Hearne,please…The GAA were dead right and its up the price should go,bye Eddie don’t let the door hit you in the Arse.
@Gerry Campbell: In fairness you’re not wrong. There’s the pair of them in it.
@baz dunne: was wondering how long before some anti gaa gobdaw would come up with the ‘grab all association’ line… When has no knowledge of numbers involved. All we need now is a brilliant original Father Ted line…
@baz dunne: he didn’t say the pair of them were at it..
As much as I don’t like Hearn I have no doubt he’s telling the truth. As my Granda used to say and the older I’ve got the more I’ve seen the truth in it in politics, institutions and pretty much every facet of life, he said, Ireland will never get anywhere, because it is a nation run by gombeen men, they’d sell their own mothers if you offered them the right price, but if you were dying of thirst they wouldn’t give you a drop of water unless there was something in it for them.
@Zim Zimma: we see what we want to see. Try looking at things more positively than your Granda did, and you might see things differently!
Tell Eddie, we saw how Wembley operated during the Euro’s final a couple of years back. Absolute chaos with the level of security & policing they put on. I wouldn’t be using them as a good example.. He’s also looking to schedule same wkend as the European rugby final in the Aviva. Just go for a night in August or Sept when nothings clashing with it.
@John Geary: if fans want to behave as they did last summer at Wembley or Lansdowne Rd years ago no amount of security or policing will suffice. Also much the scheduling of bouts is determined by training regimes.
The only lad to complain about the cost of holding an event in Croke Park. It sure is a bad taste he has left.
How much are gardai getting paid?
To be fair to him, it costs an absolute fortune to insure and police big-time Boxing events in Ireland. The amount of rival criminal gang members that would invariably show up would increase the likelihood of a Regency shooting style incident occurring. Despite their willingness to push other events through, and the high esteem in which Katie Taylor is held, I cannot see the Irish government wanting anything to do with assisting something that could potentially be associated with such negative publicity. Regular, large scale, professional Boxing events, on these shores, are a thing of the past. With or without star drawing power.