Ticket response is 'phenomenal'

Football

Glen Kirton, the Euro 96 tournament director, said yesterday that the demand for tickets for the championship had been "phenomenal". With only six days to go before the opening ceremony and the biggest football event in England for 30 years, sales have passed the 1.25 million barrier.

Less than 150,000 tickets remain from the tournament's total allocation of 1.4m. Nine matches are sold out, including all England's three Group A matches, and a further four are a near sell-out.

Kirton said: "Demand for tickets is phenomenal. Anyone who still hasn't purchased a ticket should act now."

Surprisingly, tickets still remain for Scotland's game with the Netherlands at Villa Park on 10 June, but Portugal's match with Turkey in Nottingham four days later will generate a full house.

Fans can now buy tickets direct from the seven regional venues as well as via the official Euro 96 ticket hotline (0990 99 1996).

SELL-OUTS: England v Switzerland, Switzerland v Netherlands, Scotland v England, Netherlands v England, Portugal v Turkey, Italy v Germany, France v Spain, Anfield quarter-final, Wembley final.

NEAR SELL-OUTS: Netherlands v Scotland, Turkey v Denmark, Wembley semi- final, Old Trafford semi-final.