ITV to show entirety of Euro 96 for free including England’s historic semi-final run as coronavirus KO’s 2020 tournament

FOOTBALL’S coming home after all! Although England fans were devastated that the coronavirus pandemic postponed this year’s European Championships, ITV will broadcast the famous 96 tournament in its entirety. Wembley was set to play a big part in this summer’s competition, with the national stadium in line to house both the semi-finals and the final […]

FOOTBALL’S coming home after all!

Although England fans were devastated that the coronavirus pandemic postponed this year’s European Championships, ITV will broadcast the famous 96 tournament in its entirety.

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Wembley was set to play a big part in this summer’s competition, with the national stadium in line to house both the semi-finals and the final in July.

Yet fans will now be transported back to the last time England had such an honour when it hosted a major international tournament.

Archive footage of all 31 games in 1996, featuring England’s historic semi-final run on home soil, will be available to binge on the ITV Hub.

While ITV4 will air five of England’s matches as well as screen Germany’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic at the Old Wembley in May.

An iconic summer, from Paul Gascoigne’s ‘Dentist’s Chair’ celebration to the S.A.S. drubbing of the Netherlands and even a Three Lions penalty shootout-win.

It also birthed the soundtrack to every England tournament since, as Badiel, Skinner and The Lightning Seeds’ combined to release the famed chart-topping anthem Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home).

Paul Mortimer, Head of Digital Channels & Acquisitions, ITV said: “Nothing brings the country together like Euro fever, and with this year’s tournament postponed to 2021, we’re giving our audience a chance to relive one of the all-time great sporting events, Euro ’96.

“Thanks to the ITV Hub and ITV4, there’ll be no shortage of vintage football classics for fans to indulge in over the next few months.”

ITV’s decision comes just days after UEFA joined the retro approach to giving fans their fix.

The European governing body is going to open up its archive of classic Champions League matches for free and make them available on the same schedule as if Covid-19 had not halted football.

Match of the Day will also be back on our screens this weekend after it was controversially replaced by Mrs Brown’s Boys.