The Group C clash is a sell-out, with over 10,000 England supporters inside the stadium and a further 40,000 watching the match on big screens and in bars. Tony Day, 52, traveled from Birmingham with his family in a hired motorhome, taking a ferry from Dover and staying overnight in Bruges before arriving at a campsite in Gelsenkirchen.

An emotional Tony expressed his excitement about the experience and mentioned that it was the best thing his family could ever do. Steve Cressey, 71, drove his motorhome to Gelsenkirchen from Scunthorpe but was surprised by the 150 Euros per night campsite parking fee.

Despite not having a ticket for the game, he was content with soaking up the atmosphere and watching it in the Fan Park. Accommodations being scarce in Gelsenkirchen, most England fans are staying in nearby cities such as Essen, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, and Duisburg.

Paddy Jones and Joe Clay from Rotherham enjoyed the atmosphere with new friends in Essen’s Kennedyplatz and were looking forward to watching the game in the Fan Zone. They met up with Clive Gardner and his son Ashton from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, who had a history of attending England tournaments.

Kevin Coomer, from Bristol, flew to Germany for the weekend with his father. They were joined by their friends Matt Rolles and Alex Stell, also from Bristol.

Adam Nixon, a history teacher, traveled with his ex-school pals from Fleetwood, Lancs, to attend the game in Essen, expressing their excitement and passion for the event. Mick Johnson, director of the UK Football Policing Unit, noted the significant increase in England fans traveling to Germany for the tournament compared to previous years.

Overall, fans from different parts of the UK were eager to support England in the tournament, despite encountering challenges with accommodations and tickets for the games.