UEFA Nixes Plan for ‘Three Lions’ Performance at England vs. Italy Euro 2020 Final

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You might hear “it’s coming home” from fans at the Euro 2020 final, but UEFA won’t allow an official performance of the famous “Three Lions” song during Sunday’s match between England and Italy.

“UEFA said it was too partisan and not fair to the Italians to have that,” Frank Skinner, one of the song’s writers and performers, told The Last Leg (via Reuters).

Comedians Skinner and David Baddiel originally released the hit song in 1996, with its chorus—featuring the refrain “It’s coming home”—becoming a rallying chant for the English fans in recent years.

The song was selected as a “fan song” for the European Championships and has been played during warmups throughout the tournament. Skinner and Baddiel were willing to take part in a live performance Sunday, but the plan wasn’t submitted until Friday, when it was too late for UEFA to make changes to the ceremony.

“No additional elements can be integrated at this stage due to the very tight countdown schedule and operational complexities ahead of the kick-off,” the governing body said in a statement, per David Mercer of Sky Sports.

Skinner and Baddiel, along with the band The Lightning Seeds, will instead play the song at London’s 229 music venue on Sunday.

The fans at Wembley Stadium likely won’t need much to get excited as England seeks its first trophy in a major tournament since the 1966 FIFA World Cup. It is also the first time the team has reached the final of a major tournament since that victory, which also took place at Wembley Stadium.

Manager Gareth Southgate’s squad has thrived during the knockout stages with wins over Germany, Ukraine and Denmark, outscoring opponents 8-1. Italy advanced to the final after beating Spain on penalty kicks in the semifinal.