Festival or Football? Glastonbury 2024 faces Euro 2024 clash dilemma

With Euro 2024 matches falling during Glastonbury weekend, the festival decides against screening the games, sparking a debate among attendees.

Glastonbury sunset

Glastonbury is getting ready to roll, promising its usual array of music, comedy, theatre, and endless after-hours activities. But amidst all the excitement, a pressing question hangs in the air: will the festival screen Euro 2024 matches?

For footie fans, especially the English, this is a significant concern. England is set to play a Last-16 match during the Glastonbury weekend. Yet, the festival organisers have decided to stick to their cultural agenda, leaving many fans wondering how they’ll catch the games.


READ MORE: Glastonbury 2024: Your Complete Festival Guide


In a statement, the Glastonbury team clarified: “Should England or Scotland’s men’s teams qualify from the group stages of this summer’s European Football Championships in Germany, their matches in the Last 16 of the tournament could take place on the Saturday or Sunday evening of this year’s Festival. However, with England and Scotland’s Last 16 matches potentially clashing with headline sets at this year’s Festival, the decision has been made that – as in 2014 and 2016 – should England or Scotland qualify from their groups, their Last 16 matches will not be shown at the Festival.”

England’s journey in Euro 2024 has been a mix of highs and lows. They opened their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Serbia, thanks to a goal from Jude Bellingham. However, their performance dipped in the following match, resulting in a 1-1 draw against Denmark. This leaves England needing a strong performance in their next match against Slovenia on 25th June to ensure they progress to the knockout stages​.

Adding to the festival buzz is the new “Hey Jude” campaign featuring Jude Bellingham. Adidas has created an advert using The Beatles’ classic ‘Hey Jude’ to rally support for the England team. The ad, filled with iconic moments of England’s football history and featuring stars like David Beckham, Frank Lampard, and Stormzy, aims to inspire both players and fans. Bellingham, a known Beatles fan, has embraced this tribute, making it a poignant and motivational anthem for the team’s Euro 2024 journey.

This decision, while fair given the festival’s diverse offerings, leaves football fans at a bit of a crossroads. Enterprising fans will likely find ways to watch the games on their phones or through portable screens smuggled into the campsite. If England tops Group C, they’ll play against the third-placed team from Group D, E, or F at 5 PM on Sunday, 30th June. Alternatively, if England finishes second, they’ll face the Group A winners on Saturday night, 29th June, at 8 PM.

So, for those attending Glastonbury and hoping to catch some Euro 2024 action, it looks like improvisation will be key. Meanwhile, the festival promises an abundance of entertainment to keep everyone engaged, football match or not.



Keep up to date with the best in UK music by following us on Instagram: @whynowworld and on Twitter/X: @whynowworld


Leave a Reply

More like this