Hyde Park to screen World Cup semi-final: how to get tickets

Up to 30,000 fans will be able to watch England match on the big screen via open ballot

England World Cup economic impact
England fans watch the Colombia World Cup match on a big screen in London
(Image credit: Tolga Akmen/AFP/Getty Images)

Hyde Park is to welcome as many as 30,000 of London’s football fans for a live big-screen broadcast of England’s World Cup semi-final match on Wednesday.

The news was revealed today by Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan, the shadow minister for sport, who on Saturday wrote an open letter to Theresa May urging the government to help local authorities around the country cover the costs of setting up outdoor screenings of the match.

Even better, the Hyde Park screening - arranged in conjunction with the British Summer Time festival - will be completely free.

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So if you’ll be in the capital on Wednesday and you fancy seeing England take on Croatia for a place in the final, you can enter the open ballot.

Where can I enter the ballot?

Tickets can only be obtained by entering the ballot on the British Summer Time website here. Those who are not successful are strongly advised not to try to attend on Wednesday, as only ticketholders will be admitted and there will be no tickets on the door.

What time does the ballot open and close?

The ballot will open for entries at 4pm on Monday and closes at 8am on Tuesday.

How many places can I apply for?

Each person entering the ballot can apply for up to four tickets for Wednesday night’s game.

Winners, chosen by random lottery, will be notified that they have won a place at 10am on Tuesday - they will then have three hours to confirm their attendance before their tickets are redistributed.