'It's the Battle for Benidorm!' England fans vow Costa Del-takeover for Sunday's Euros final as they prepare to head to Spanish resort instead of paying thousands on hotels and flights for trip to Berlin
- Are YOU going to Benidorm for the final? Email eleanor.blake@mailonline.co.uk
Desperate England fans priced out of attending the final in Berlin are instead making plans to flock to the Spanish holiday resort of Benidorm - and said the winners will lay claim to the town.
England will play Spain in the Euro 2024 final on Sunday having defeated the Netherlands with a last gasp Ollie Watkins goal sparking a surge in interest in travelling to Germany for the game.
Tickets for the showpiece event are now selling for £2100 minimum, whilst budget airlines like Ryanair say they are completely sold out on all planes to Berlin until after the tournament.
British Airways also reported a 1000 per cent increase in searches for flights after the match and are now scrabbling to put on extra journeys, albeit it inflated prices.
After getting to Germany, prices are even worse, with Berlin’s Hilton Hotel demanding 1425 Euros for Sunday night when the match is played. The next night the price drops to 136 Euros.
But canny England fans wishing to watch the match in more tranquil surroundings that their locals have settled on a new plan: head to Benidorm and make the final a 'derby.'
Currently flights to the popular suntrap are on sale for as low as £179 on easyJet
Thousands of England fans have announced they are flocking to Benidorm for Sunday's match
The holiday resort has become an unofficial meeting spot for England fans hoping to watch the games in beautiful surroundings
Flights to the Spanish resort are currently on sale for as little as £179
After every game in the tournament, England fans have spilled out onto the streets to party
Brits are prophesying a battle for Benidorm on Sunday evening
The Spanish holiday resort of Benidorm has long been popular for Brits but during the Euros it has become a hotspot for England fans who can't get out to Germany.
Throughout the tournament, viral videos of England fans dancing in the street have gone viral on social media after matches.
It is expected thousands of England supporters not able to get to Berlin will line the streets of the resort on Sunday evening, despite Spain's draconian drinking laws.
Taking to social media, fans expressed their excitement at 'retaking' Benidorm following the final whistle if England triumphed.
One X user declared: 'England vs. Spain. The winner keeps Benidorm.'
Another said: 'Benidorm will look like the last days of Rome on Sunday.'
One man joked: 'A sensible country would airlift British citizens out of Benidorm before Sunday.
'Either result guarantees a reasonable amount of rioting.'
Jubilant England fans are plotting to take over Benidorm for the weekend during the final
Members of the England Supporters Travel Club members, who are entered into ballots, face an agonising wait to see if they are successful later today.
But even those who do receive official tickets will find Berlin ramping up hotel prices and airlines cashing in.
Berlin's Hilton Hotel is demanding 1425 Euros for Sunday night when the match is played, but the next night the price drops to 136 Euros.
Another Berlin hotel, the Waldorf Astoria which is also a Hiton Hotel, is asking 13,300 Euros for Sunday night, but the following night the price reduces to 280 Euros.
'These tickets should only be in the hands of real fans the whole way. It means so much to me as an England fan to see the team play.
'I was in the fan zone here last night watching the semi-final with Holland and I got quite emotional towards the end.
'I was thinking of what it must feel like to be there and see Harry Kane lift the trophy. We haven't been playing that well, but I have this feeling we are going to do it and I just wish me and my mates could be there.'
Desperate England fans are shelling out over £2000 for tickets to Sunday's Euro 2024 final with Spain
In Benidorm, hundreds of English fans poured out on onto the streets after England's success
Gareth Southgate 's side heroically came from behind to beat the Dutch last night, sending the nation into delirium
By the time Ollie Watkins ' 90th minute winner was in the back of the net, fans were already planning their route to Germany
On prominent ticket swapping site Seatpick, individual tickets for the match are selling for as much as £2100
Meanwhile some hospitality tickets for the game are being flogged for as much as £40,000
Desperate England fans say they have shelled out thousands for tickets
His friend Stuart Jarvis, 43, added: 'We were offered two tickets last night for the final for £3,000. But we are not paying that money. I wish I could, but I have got a family back at home.'
Postman Darren Gillbanks said: 'Something has to be done to prevent this really sad situation which comes around every time England play in a major tournament.
'I am going home from a city where England play in a major final this weekend, when I would love to be there. But everything is so expensive.'
Airline prices have also taken off as fans clamour to reach Berlin for the 9pm Sunday night kick-off.
British Airways seats are selling fast despite the increased prices being charged and the operator claims it is exploring the possibility of putting on extra flights.
Currently, the airline can best offer a flight from London Heathrow on Sunday which lands at Berlin Brandenburg Airport at 8.15pm, leaving fans just 45 minutes to make the kick-off.
All flights by British Airways on its website for Saturday are listed as 'unavailable.'
Neil Chernoff, British Airways' Chief Planning and Strategy Officer said: 'Between 10pm and 11pm on Wednesday we saw a 1000% increase in searches for flights to Berlin on our website, and we're currently looking at putting on additional flights.'
The FA will begin selling tickets tomorrow to supporter members after sending confirmation emails and online access codes tonight.
