We’ve experienced the full gamut of emotions as England have inched ever closer to a major trophy. And tomorrow — after those 55 years of hurt — England will play their first final in the history of the European Championship.
Across the country fans are gathering to watch the game. And with Wembley tickets like gold dust and pubs already booked to overflowing, why not enjoy the action at home?
You’ll be in good company: Harry Kane’s wife Kate has shown how it’s done, posting pictures online of the giant teepee she’s erected to host viewing parties throughout the tournament.
Of course, tomorrow she’ll be in the stands at Wembley, but the rest of us can follow her example and invite friends and family round to enjoy the match in the fresh air.
And there’s no reason it shouldn’t be just as posh as Kate’s party, replete with your very own canvas palace, well-stocked bar, outdoor cinema screen and glitzy football décor galore.
Here Libby Galvin shares her guide to watching the big match like a WAG…
There’s no reason your Euro 2020 final viewing shouldn’t be just as posh as Kate’s party, replete with your very own canvas palace, well-stocked bar, outdoor cinema screen and glitzy football décor galore. Pictured: Libby Galvin and Liam Moore
TEE UP YOUR TENT
Not only will a Kane-style canvas party tent protect you from any ill-timed drizzle (tomorrow’s weather forecast looks inconsistent) but it will mean no glare on the screen so you can see every England goal.
My 5-metre bell tent was set up by Little Teepee Parties (littleteepeeparties.co.uk) who create garden venues like this one, starting at £350 for a 3-metre tent.
You can buy a similar 5-metre one from boutiquecamping.com for £459 or a 3-metre gazebo from Dunelm for £199 and decorate it yourself.
For a DIY option, bedsheets or canvas tied between trees or secured to fence posts will still provide shelter and screen protection.
THE BIG SCREEN EXPERIENCE
You don’t need to head to the pub for big screen viewing. We hooked up a mini projector and screen (available at all price points from Amazon) but there are many ways of watching the match outdoors.
You can buy a 20ft Inflatable Projector Screen from Amazon for under £250 and place it outside the tent so you can watch from inside, or hire a 140-in inflatable screen with headphones for your guests so you don’t disturb the neighbours, for £299 from events company Poptop (poptop.uk.com).
Alternatively, go back to basics and let your family TV venture out from the living room.
As long as you have an extension cable long enough, you’ve already got all you need to watch in style.
SET UP YOUR OWN STANDS
As anyone going to Wembley will tell you, where you sit is key, so spare a thought for your own seating arrangements.
Depending on the size of your teepee, a small sofa is ideal. You could rearrange your garden or living room furniture in prime position.
Using a smaller tent or got lots of little ones to seat? Bean bags and footstools are perfect — and make things extra cosy with lots of rugs and cushions to lounge on (and scream into at stressful moments).
A faux fur lounger from Dunelm (£34.50) faux sheepskin rugs (£35 each) and cushions (from £11.20) will make for a snug set-up just like Kate’s, win or lose.
After a few drinks and a long night in front of the game, you could stay in the tent to recover overnight.
PITCH UP TO EAT
Giving a whole new meaning to the term ‘table football’, why not eat off the pitch?
Simply cut a roll of fake turf to the size of your table — whether it’s your garden table or a ground level one created using pallets — and lay it on top.
Secure with tape, Blu Tack or glue, then tablescape with napkins and plates in England’s signature red and white and arrange your banquet artistically atop the turf.
RAISE YOUR FLAGS
So no one’s in any doubt about what you’re celebrating, lay the décor on thick. St George’s flags and bunting are a must (we picked ours up from Tesco and the local party shop) but if you find they’re sold out in advance of Sunday’s final, you can print your own on A4 or A3 paper. Activityvillage.co.uk have images you can download and use for free.
So no one’s in any doubt about what you’re celebrating, lay the décor on thick. St George’s flags and bunting are a must (we picked ours up from Tesco and the local party shop)
Little football cushions (above) look great and provide something to grip in tense moments (football striker 3D cushion, £10, Dunelm) – and make a great party favour for guests — and you can even add fairy lights shaped like miniature balls to stay on theme, with multiple options available on Amazon.
Mini England flags in your food or used in place of cocktail umbrellas is a cute touch, too, and can be easily made from scratch at home. Personalise them so if you have any rogue guests who support Italy, they can pin their green, white and red colours to their cocktail.
EAT LIKE A WINNER
Enter the game on a full stomach with a themed menu of smoked British beef cheek buns, Italian flag salad and St George’s Eton mess.
A significant step-up from a burger, preparing these beef cheeks will keep you occupied all afternoon while you wait for the 8pm kick-off.
The salad and dessert can be thrown together in a few minutes, depending on how precise you like your flags.
Smoked British Beef Cheeks
You will need:
- Salt and pepper rub: 2 parts coarse ground black pepper to 1 part sea salt
- English mustard
- 6 ox cheeks, trimmed
- Spray bottle containing water and a dash of Worcestershire sauce
- English ale or beef stock
- Buns or bread to serve
Method:
On a kettle barbecue, place charcoal and oak wood chunks to one side of the base, fill a foil pan with boiling water and place on the other side.
Light one end of the charcoal and wait until the flames have died down. Close the lid and control the vents to a steady temperature of between 130-150c.
Meanwhile, apply a light coating of mustard to the ox cheeks, then apply the rub generously and evenly.
Once at 130-150c, place the ox cheeks above the water pan in the barbecue, keeping them away from the direct heat of the coals.
Leave to cook for 1.5 hours, making sure to maintain a steady temperature.
Giving a whole new meaning to the term ‘table football’, why not eat off the pitch? Simply cut a roll of fake turf to the size of your table — whether it’s your garden table or a ground level one created using pallets — and lay it on top
Open the lid and spritz the cheeks using the water bottle (they will look tough and dry at this point, but that’s ok).
Repeat every 20 minutes for one hour to 90 minutes, making sure you don’t spray off the salt and pepper rub. After three hours, put the ox cheeks into a foil or metal pan, fill to about halfway with your braising liquid. Cover with foil and put back into the barbecue — or at this point you can transfer them to an oven.
Cook for another 2-3 hours, until the beef cheeks are tender when probed with a thermometer or skewer. Once tender, remove the ox cheeks from the liquid, wrap in foil and leave to rest for as long as you can — the longer, the better!
Keep hot in a cool bag/box.
Once ready to serve, unwrap the cheeks and pull or slice into buns. (Recipe by @SlothyChef)
Italian Flag Salad
You will need:
- Basil leaves
- Mozzarella
- Tomatoes
- A rectangular serving platter
This is a traditional salad tricolore arranged to resemble the Italian flag. Put your basil leaves on the left, sliced mozzarella or mini mozzarella balls in the middle and finish with tomatoes (sliced or cherry) on the right. Delizioso!
St George’s Eton Mess
You will need:
- Strawberries
- Meringue
- Cream
- A rectangular serving platter
The same concept as above — arrange your Eton Mess in the style of the England flag. Smother a rectangular platter with cream, then crumble meringue all over the cream base. Arrange chopped strawberries in the shape of the St George’s cross. Mix when serving.