Football

England forced to move Euro 2024 qualifier to Old Trafford… with HARRY STYLES concert taking place at Wembley

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Flying Eze
November 2, 2022

FA CHIEFS have put Harry Styles before Harry Kane – and moved an England game to Old Trafford for the first time in 16 years.

Englandâs match schedule for 2023 has now been released following last monthâs Euro 2024 qualifying draw.

England will face North Macedonia at Old Trafford

Styles will play Wembley Stadium in June next year

It features a special friendly with Scotland at Hampden in September, to mark the 150th anniversary of the worldâs first international match.

But while three of Englandâs four home qualifiers will be played at Wembley, Juneâs fixture against North Macedonia will be played at the home of Manchester United.

That is because the June 16th date clashes with the fifth day of Harry Stylesâ six-concert stop under the Arch for his new sell-out âLove on Tourâ production.

Despite the venue change, Gareth Southgate will be hoping to keep his Three Lions on One Direction towards Germany in a group that starts with their most difficult game, away to defending champions Italy on March 23.

Three days later, Wembley plays host for Englandâs meeting with Ukraine, followed by a trip to Malta on June 16 and the North Macedonia game on June 19.

That will be the 18th time England have played at Old Trafford but the first since Wembley was rebuilt and the 1-0 friendly defeat by Spain under Steve McClaren in 2007.

Earlier that season, the Macedonians had claimed a goalless draw at the same venue, a few days before Englandâs Euro 2008 hopes began to unravel in Croatia.

The match will be the last England game of this term, with the next campaign opening with the away game against Ukraine – which is likely to be played in Poland – on September 9.

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With England being in one of the five-team groups, it means space in the calendar for the September 12 trip to Glasgow.

That will mark 150 seasons since the first clash with the Scots – also the first international match in the history of the game – which was a goalless draw at Hamilton Crescent in Partick on November 30 1872.

Southgate said: âAny meeting with Scotland is always special.

âI imagine though that this occasion will be even more memorable as it celebrates such a landmark moment.

âOf course, ourselves and Scotland are the oldest of rivals and passions are sure to be high at Hampden but this milestone is much bigger than our two nations as itâs also an opportunity to celebrate 150 years of international football.

âAs we have been fortunate enough to experience across the last two major tournaments and hopefully again this winter, the international game has a unique power to bring people together and we should all feel honoured to have the opportunity to reflect on that.â

England also have a spare fixture date which will be filled the following month before the October 17 Wembley showdown with Italy.

And the year – and qualification process – ends with a Wembley game against Malta and trip to Skopje to face North Macedonia in November, a month before the draw for the Finals takes place in Hamburg.

England 2023 fixtures: