England Supporters Club

England announce plans to take on Europe's elite

Posted by Team England at 11:05 on Wednesday 19 November 2014

England will take on UEFA Euro 2016 hosts France and world champions Germany after The FA finalised negotiations with the FFF and DFB.

The FA is also in discussions with European title-holders Spain and World Cup semi-finalists the Netherlands following positive talks with the RFEF and KNVB. Those fixtures would take place prior to the Euros and further details will follow.

This potential quartet of international fixtures will complement England’s final qualifying matches for the UEFA European Championship, with Roy Hodgson’s men six points clear at the top of Group E.

Subject to UEFA Euro qualification, Hodgson’s side face France at Wembley Stadium connected by EE on 17 November next year, kick-off 8pm, and Germany away in March 2016.

The FA has already announced fixtures against Italy (venue TBC) on Tuesday 31 March and Republic of Ireland at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium Sunday 7 June.

England manager Roy Hodgson said: “It’s very encouraging that our search for opposition in the international weeks has led to quality teams such as France, Spain and Germany - with Italy and the Republic of Ireland already announced for 2015.

"They will complement the important Euro qualifiers which remain the top priority and we are taking nothing for granted. However, these six potential fixtures will provide the type of test we’re looking for going forward.”

Club England managing director Adrian Bevington said: “It's important for Roy and the team that we arrange fixtures against first-class European opponents with a view to Euro 2016.

"We also want international fixtures that are attractive to our supporters at Wembley and away from home. Roy is happy with the programme we are finalising and I'm sure everyone will look forward to matches against Europe's elite.”

FA Group commercial director Stuart Turner said: “We are proud that priority access tickets for these games will be offered exclusively to members of the England Supporters’ Club and England Supporters’ Travel Club which launched last summer and so far has had a remarkable response with over 111,000 members signed up.”