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14th Dec 2024

England forced to find new venue for World Cup qualifier due to Coldplay clash

Ryan Price

The Three Lions discovered their 2026 World Cup qualifying opponents on Friday.

England will have to find a new venue to play their World Cup qualifying game against Andorra next September as the fixture clashes with Coldplay’s whopping ten-night run at Wembley stadium.

Thomas Tuchel’s first opponents as Three Lions boss were revealed yesterday as the draw for the qualification stage of the 2026 World Cup was conducted in Zurich. 

England euro 2024
Getty Images

England will have to see off Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra to secure their place at the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States in 2026.

While Harry Kane and co will be able to rely on the home support at Wembley for most of the fixtures, that won’t be the case for their match against Andorra on September 6.

Musical juggernauts Coldplay will takeover the home of English football on 22, 23, 26, 27, 30 & 31 August next year, and recently added 3, 4, 7 and 8 September to the list due to phenomenal demand.

Although the group are not due to perform on September 6 when Tuchel’s troops are scheduled to take on the southern European side, the extraordinary scale of Coldplay’s live show and extraordinary work involved to construct the spectacle would make staging the game there impossible. 

@superconstructions #coldplay #concert #setup #installation #construction #civilengineering #constructiontips #constructionlife #building #timelapse #replacement #reconstruction #coldplay ♬ House – ruanoliivas

As a result of the scheduling conflict, the FA are now working on finding a new location for the all-important affair.

The likes of Old Trafford, The Stadium of Light and St James’ Park have all hosted home games in recent seasons, and some fans in overlooked areas in the country will be hoping this situation presents an opportunity whereby they may be able to watch their beloved Three Lions a little closer to home.

Molineux and the Riverside have both also been used since 2021.

Quizzed on yesterday’s draw, Tuchel said: “We are huge favourites and we have to qualify, this is where all the focus goes.

“There can’t be any other approach than take it seriously and with respect and make it happen before we can dream the dream.

“Now I have to prove myself,” he continued. “And to the people who are maybe a bit concerned – to prove to them how much it means to me and that it’s a dream job for me that I will give my everything, and I’m the man for the job.”