England are faced with a major test when they take on defending champions France in one of the quarter final matches on Saturday.
The Al Bayt Stadium will host one of the biggest contentions in this World Cup come 8pm local time on Saturday.
Following the conclusion of the Round of 16 matches, attention has now shifted to the quarter final fixtures with the tie between England and France the most talked about at the moment.
Here are three fresh updates as we count down to the quarter final showdown.
- Tickets sell for £10,000: Tickets for England’s blockbuster World Cup clash against France are now selling for £10,000 – more than 28 times the face value.
This shocking development only confirm how big the match is. Irrespective of the massive increase in ticket price, the stadium is expected to be jampacked.
Nearly 800 have appeared on resale sites at hugely inflated prices, with many being sold by fans whose teams have been knocked out.
The Standard found a pair of £175 category 2 seats being sold on Ticombo for £5,000 each, including a £709 booking fee.
Fans no longer need a match ticket to get the necessary Hayya immigration permit to enter Qatar, meaning they can fly in at short notice without having to negotiate red tape.
- 9,500 England supporters expected: About 9,500 English fans are expected to drum support for the Three Lions when they face France on Saturday.
The 9,500 England supporters are boosted by ex-pats and hundreds flying in from the UK on flights costing over £1,600.
This is no doubt a big deal, a big game, a big stage that take big spending.
Thomas Concannon, from the Football Supporters’ Association fans’ embassy in Doha, said there had been no arrests or police incidents in two-and-a-half weeks.
He said: “All the England fans have been fantastically well-behaved, very respectful of where we are and just enjoyed themselves.”
- Mbappe injury rumour: There was speculation around star Kylian Mbappe who missed training on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon’s session has been suddenly closed to the media.
Officials insisted there are no concerns for the 23-year-old who is working away from his team in the recovery room.
Others suggest Didier Deschamps’ side are playing mind games with England.
The PSG forward is the top scorer at the tournament with five goals
Apex Football News 