London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Mar 12, 2026

Three Lions hope to entertain the nation on ‘Super Saturday’

Three Lions hope to entertain the nation on ‘Super Saturday’

Across Britain, 22 million people are expected to watch the game on ITV1, with another 3.1 million in pubs and bars
Celebrities, sports stars and politicians issued a rallying cry for England to beat France in tomorrow’s crunch World Cup quarter-final, as London geared up for a £71 million party this weekend.

Gareth Southgate’s men hope to entertain the nation on “Super Saturday” after singer Robbie Williams performed a private gig for players at their Al Wakra base in Qatar.

Skipper Harry Kane, Jack Grealish, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford were among those being put through their paces during training in temperatures of 26C on Friday.

Former Lionesses’ hero Jill Scott, 35, fresh from her win on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, said it was France who should be scared. In a video message to the team before flying out to the Gulf, she told them: “I’m so excited. I’m coming over as a massive England fan. We are definitely gaining momentum. Player for player, I believe we are better than them, 100 per cent.”

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “Saturday is going to be a titanic clash, and I can’t wait to watch Gareth, Harry and all the England boys as they once again rise to the challenge. It’s going to be a fantastic game with the whole country right behind the team — here’s to another Three Lions victory tomorrow!”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “It’s always going to be a tough game against France. Mbappé is on excellent form and they’ve performed well in the tournament so far. But I back England to hold their own. This squad have something special... we’ve seen flashes of real brilliance in the group stages. I’ve got everything crossed for Saturday night. Come on England!”

Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, 51, told the Standard: “What a fantastic young team we have. They’ve proved themselves utterly spellbinding and brilliant. I think they stand a really good chance on Saturday and I will be watching and cheering.“

The One and Only singer Chesney Hawkes, 51, adopted as a lucky charm when England beat Wales 3-0, said: “I’ve seen first-hand the incredible spirit, unity, love and togetherness in the camp... they will get the job done.”

At the B12 Beach Club in Doha, Nicole Haddon, 22, of Clapham, said: “We’ve got to take our hats off to England — they’re more than capable of bringing home the World Cup. I’m looking forward to the battle between Walker and Mbappé, who needs to be man-marked to within an inch of his life.”

Manchester student Lucy Harrison said the Three Lions “will win with style”, and teacher Laila Freckleton, 21, of Islington, cheered: “There’s something really special about this team.”

Across Britain, 22 million people are expected to watch the game on ITV1, with another 3.1 million in pubs and bars. And London football fans will lay out £42 million on food, drink and sportswear for home parties, according to data from VoucherCodes.co.uk.

A further £29 million could be splurged in the capital’s hospitality venues starting tonight when Brazil take on Croatia and Argentina play the Netherlands.

Landlords in London hope to sell an extra 1.1 million pints. Publican Carl McCluskey said turnover at Chancellors in Hammersmith was up 400 per cent, adding: “It’s gone World Cup crazy. You can’t move inside the pub.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
UK Ready to Back Emergency Oil Reserve Release as Middle East Conflict Pushes Prices Higher
Study of 40,000 Articles Sparks Debate Over Alleged Anti-Muslim Bias in UK Media
US and UK Army Chiefs Strengthen Cooperation on the Future of Armored Warfare
Britain’s Search for the Next ARM Intensifies as Startups and Investors Target the Semiconductor Frontier
Three US Strategic Bombers Arrive at RAF Fairford as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Cancer Death Rates in the UK Fall to the Lowest Level on Record
UK Government Bond Yields Retreat Slightly After Sharp Spike Triggered by Middle East Conflict
UK Chancellor Warns Middle East War Could Push Inflation Higher
UK Prime Minister Warns Iran Conflict Could Drive Up Prices and Threaten Economic Stability
Trump Declines UK Offer to Deploy Aircraft Carriers to Middle East Amid Iran Conflict
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Return to Australia After Seven Years for Philanthropic and Business Engagements
UK Government Signals Independence From Washington as Cooper Says Britain Does Not Agree With Trump on Every Issue
UK Experts Warn AI Chatbots Are Fueling Surge in Claims of Organised ‘Satanic’ Ritual Abuse
UK Political Parties Divided Over Strategy as Iran Conflict Reshapes Foreign Policy Debate
Britain Discloses Secret Military Repair Hubs Operating Inside Ukraine
Trump Says US No Longer Needs UK Carrier Support After Delayed Offer Amid Iran Conflict
Why Britain Has Become Involved in the US-Israel Military Campaign Against Iran
UK Gas Storage Falls to Under Two Days as Iran Conflict Jolts Global Energy Markets
UK Warned to Brace for Economic Shock as Iran War Drives Global Energy Price Surge
Starmer and Trump Hold First Call After Public Dispute Over Iran Conflict
UK Dentists Returned £1.3 Billion to Government as Shift Toward Private Care Accelerates
Expert Warns UK Must Build Emergency Food Stockpiles to Prepare for Climate Shocks or War
UK Plans Charter Flight to Evacuate British Nationals from Gulf as Regional Conflict Disrupts Air Travel
Families of Zimbabwe’s Liberation Fighters Call on Britain to Help Locate Skulls Taken During Colonial War
Iran’s Ambassador Warns Britain to ‘Be Very Careful’ Over Deeper Role in Expanding Middle East War
UK Military Leadership Defends Britain’s Defensive Role in Expanding Middle East Conflict
×