Bars along Spain's coast packed to the rafters with Brits cheering on Lionesses

20 August 2023 , 06:34

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El Pub in Lloret de Mar prepare for the game

Bars across British holiday hotspots in Spain like Benidorm and Magaluf are expecting to be absolutely packed to the rafters with massive crowds cheering on the Lionesses.

The England women's team made history by qualifying for their first ever World Cup final after a 3-1 win over Australia last week. Today, they have the chance of bringing home the country's first World Cup since the men's team won in 1966, more than five decades ago.

Last week, roars erupted across pubs in Leeds, Birmingham, London and Manchester were spilling out as they kicked off at 11am. But for Brits enjoying a spot of summer sun, being away from home hasn't dampened their support with similarly large crowds seen in Europe. Sports bars, pubs and bars across Spain — who England will clash with today — are getting prepared to welcome in hundreds of Brits looking to watch the big fixture in sunnier climes.

Windsor Bar in Magaluf, which is showing the game

The Mirror spoke with a number of bars along the Costa Brava and Blanca, where they're preparing for a "great atmosphere" and a great day of football. Clem, a barman at the Windsor Bar, which is just a few feet away from the infamous Punta Ballena strip, explained his predicament as a Spaniard cheering on his home team in a pub jammed with jubilant Lioness supporters.

He said: "You're on about the female game at 12am on Sunday? Well, you're talking to a Spanish guy who's going to be cheering on Spain while in a crowded British bar so... I think it's going to be a nice busy day with a great atmosphere." Sue Stanyer from Liverpool, who runs El Pub with her husband in Lloret de Mar, shared similar worries to Clem. She told the Mirror: "My son does not know who to support, because he was born here. His friends all support Spain, but then we support England."

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Clem applauded how the women's game has gone from strength to strength in recent years, adding that he'd noticed establishments getting busier and busier each year. He told the Mirror during his shift: "It's getting better every year with the women's football, bars are getting busier each year with these types of football games. I believe because the women are doing better than the men that the British supporters are getting behind the Lionesses and more and more people are watching them."

Sue said they have, unusually, had to book a babysitter for Sunday morning so the husband and wife duo can both be pulling pints in anticipation of there being more revellers than usual. But she does concede: "In my opinion, not as people not as many people are as interested but I hope to be proved wrong. I only just put the England flags up, but I think if it was the World Cup final of the men's we would be really prepared."

Clem laughed as he quipped: "The fans are fed up with the men so they're jumping ship to a team that can actually win something." Meanwhile, Sylvia, of Benidorm's Tropical Bar, said she was expecting a similarly busy day but she didn't expect any trouble from the competitive Spanish locals. When asked whether she was worried about local Spaniards and Brits causing trouble while the two teams battle it out in Sydney, she said: "We're quite a busy bar but we haven't got no trouble. See, we're not on the main square. When England played last week in here it was really busy but there was no trouble."

When asked whether they were expecting a big turnout, she said: "Yeah, if last week is anything to go by, it was really busy in here by 12 o'clock for the semi-finals. I think it's probably going to be the same". Sue also said they were busy with the other game, so she is "assuming this will be even busier."

Ryan Fahey