Glastonbury fans have been pictured getting excited for tonight’s England match but they’ll have nowhere to watch it on a big screen.
The Three Lions are taking on Slovakia in their final-16 clash this afternoon, with hopes they can make it through to face Switzerland in the quarter-final.
But fans seen geared up in their football shirts at the Glastonbury festival today will be crushed to learn they can’t watch the game, so they’ll have to settle for dancing along to Shania Twain instead.
The world renowned music festival at Worthy Farm, in Somerset, announced it will not be screening the last 16 games of the tournament, despite broadcasting England men’s in 2010 and women’s World Cup quarter-finals in 2019.
The 5pm match today will clash with Twain – who will be finishing her set on the Pyramid Stage as the match kicks off – and Avril Lavigne.
It means sports fans could be left unaware of the score with phone signal notoriously bad at the festival that will be full of 200,000 people.
Glastonbury fans have been pictured getting excited for tonight’s England match
England fans will have nowhere to watch the match after organisers ruled out screening it
England fans pictured at the Glastonbury Festival ahead of today’s game
Sports fans could be left unaware of the score with phone signal notoriously bad at the festival
England fans pictured ahead of the game with Slovakia in their final-16 clash this afternoon
England fans pictured at the Glastonbury Festival today in their football merch
In a statement, organisers said the decision to not screen the matches had been made not to clash ‘with the headline sets’.
Back in 2010, Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis donned a 1966 England red top and posed with a replica World Cup trophy to announced a ‘football field’ would be created in the Bushy Ground to show the Three Lions’ quarter final against Germany.
Nine years later organisers to show England women’s World Cup quarter final against Norway following a plea from Lioness midfielder Georgia Stanway.
However, organisers have echoed the same stance they took in 2014 and 2016 in deciding not to screen games of the World Cup and the Euros due to a potential clash with the headline acts.
Glastonbury confirmed in a statement released before Scotland were knocked out that the matches would not be beamed to the crowds this year.
Paloma Faith performs during the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, today
Rachel Chinouriri performs during day four of Glastonbury Festival
Murder on the Dancefloor singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor performs as a guest for Peggy Gou
Peggy Gou performs on the Park Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm
Revellers dance at the Temple bar during the famous festival today
‘In previous years, we have endeavoured to show notable matches on big screens where possible, particularly on days before the main stages have opened.
‘However, with England and Scotland’s last 16 matches potentially clashing with headline sets at this year’s festival, the decision has been made that – as in 2014 and 2016 – should England or Scotland qualify from their groups, their last 16 matches will not be shown at the festival.’
They added: ‘We would like to wish both Gareth Southgate and Steve Clarke’s sides all the best in Germany. And we hope we’ll all be able to watch them play quarter-final matches in the days after this year’s festival.’
It comes after the festival hit headlines over the stars’ use of backing tracks leading to them being accused of miming.
Jodie Whittaker, centre, grins as she attends the Paloma Faith performance
Revellers dance as they watch Peggy Gou perform on the Park Stage
Festival goers are seen dancing at the Temple at Glastonbury today
Dua Lipa headlines The Pyramid Stage during day three of Glastonbury Festival
Artists including Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello and Coldplay’s Chris Martin came under fire for allegedly not singing their lyrics live on stage at the world-famous festival.
But music experts revealed the problem could be caused by the use of backing tracks.
Dua Lipa hit back and denied the accusation, and earlier this month Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl and Taylor Swift clashed over the accusation that Swift was not singing live – a claim she also rejected.
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