Huge 12,500-capacity Euro 2020 fan park planned for Trafalgar Square

Huge 12,500-capacity Euro 2020 fan park with giant TV screens is planned for Trafalgar Square when delayed tournament kicks off in June – as organisers confirm Edinburgh International Festival will go ahead

  • Greater London Authority backed plan is ambitious amid pandemic unlocking
  • Event will have bars to serve drinks but may be ahead of government roadmap
  • Unlocking timetable suggests only 10,000 spectators possible for first match 

A fan park for 12,500 people to watch England play in the postponed Euro 2020 tournament on big screens is planned for Trafalgar Square this June.

Licensing papers seen by MailOnline lodged with City of Westminster Council reveal all seven games played at Wembley Stadium would be shown.

And there would even be a bar facility on site for thirsty supporters to either toast a victory or drown their sorrows.

The ambitious scheme has been submitted by the Greater London Authority, but also bears the Mayor of London’s title on the documents.

Jack Morton Worldwide – which describes itself as a global brand experience agency- is the ‘delivery partner’ for the event.

It means it will be responsible for putting the extravaganza on as well as key concerns of health and safety planning.

But coronavirus – which still has the UK and London under restrictions on social contact – could affect whether the mass football viewing can take place as proposed.

Indeed the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown has June 21 as the earliest date all social contact restrictions could be lifted.

England fans watch the world cup game between England and Sweden in a fanzone in 2018

Scotland fans gather in Trafalgar Square ahead of their match against England back in 2013

Trafalgar Square is currently deserted under coronavirus restrictions brought in to England

England’s first match is against Croatia on June 13, with Scotland next followed by the final group game against the Czech Republic on June 22.

It means the plans for 12,500 would be banned under the roadmap until the final match.

The May 17 unlocking says only a maximum of 10,000 could attend an outdoor venue where crowds could be spaced out.

The fanzone documents explain a fluid situation: ‘A focused COVID-19 Working Group meets fortnightly to proactively provide city-wide COVID-19 planning information and considerations which will inform planning.

‘This group consists of the Greater London Authority (GLA), The Football Association (FA), Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Public Health England (PHE), Department for Travel (DfT) and the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

‘Due to the uncertainty around the COVID-19 virus, the plans set out in this document take into consideration the delivery of the event under ordinary circumstances in order to ensure the event can be delivered.

England boss Gareth Southgate spoke at the start of the year about coronvirus uncertainty 

England vs Poland at Wembley Stadium, London, on March 31 this year for qualification

The first three games of the tournament will be played at Wembley Stadium in June this year

The first events begin next week and the project will run until May 15. They are designed to advance the reopening roadmap’s plan to scrap social distancing on June 21

‘However, planning for the UEFA EURO 2020 London Fan Zones will be in conjunction with the above authorities and the guidance and legislation set by the UK Government at the time. This may mean that details of the event change throughout the course of the planning process in response to changing guidance.’

If England get through to the prestigious knock-out stages the screens would be permitted to show those games as well.

Tickets for the huge screening would not be sold, but given out for free through a public ballot.

Trials of a ‘vaccine passport’ which including an FA Cup semi-final and the final in front of 21,000 fans at Wembley could also signal how the event could work.

It comes after it was revealed the Edinburgh International Festival will go ahead this summer – after organisers created open-air venues for shows.

More than 200 performances will be staged at pop-up ‘pavilion’ venues which are being planned to give the event the best possible chance of going ahead in August.

Bosses were given the green light by the Scottish Government and the City of Edinburgh council following months of behind the scenes talks.

They decided against using any of its usual indoor venues in favour of the temporary structures – to give it the ‘best chance’ of not being cancelled.

It is understood they will be able to accommodate audiences of up to 800, depending on official guidelines.

England boss Gareth Southgate spoke at the start of the year on how the preparations for the tournament had been hit by uncertainty brought on by the pandemic. 

Speaking at the ‘A Team Talk With Legends’ event in aid of Sports United Against Dementia, he said: ‘It’s a challenge because all of our staff are a little bit disconnected.

‘You’re not interacting in the same way and you can’t check in on people in the same way.

‘We have to prepare for a European Championship in a few months’ time so it’s an incredible challenge for our staff logistically, our security people, our operations people and we really don’t know what the tournament in the end will look like.

‘At the moment UEFA are saying it will still be played across 12 cities, but we have to prepare for a number of different scenarios.

‘Trying to book hotels and knowing where you will be based are a lot more complicated than they would normally be.’

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