England due to play at the City Ground for the first time in 84 years in planned international friendly

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The Trent End at Nottingham Forest's City Ground.

By Callum Wright

The England men’s senior football team will reportedly play at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground for the first time in more than 80 years this summer.

While the details are yet to be finalised, the Athletic reported on Wednesday (February 5) the Football Association plans for Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions to play Senegal on June 10, 2025 in an end-of-season international friendly.

The FA told Notts TV it had no comment to make when asked to verify the report.

If confirmed, it would become the fourth game in charge for new head coach Tuchel following three World Cup 2026 qualifiers, two of which – against Albania and Latvia – will be played at Wembley Stadium while the third – against Andorra – will be played away from home three days before the Three Lions travel to Nottingham.

Wembley will host a number of high-profile concerts in the summer, including performances by Oasis and Coldplay, meaning the FA has looked elsewhere for the Senegal fixture.

The last time the City Ground hosted a senior England men’s international match was in 1941, in a wartime friendly against Wales, with the last competitive international match going back even further to 1909 against the same opponents in the Home Championship.

An England U-21s match was recently held at the venue on October 12 2023, when the the Three Lions defeated Serbia U-21s 9-1 in a U-21 Euros qualification match.

Nottingham’s central location also reportedly played a factor in the FA’s decision to consider the ground, as well as its transport links to the North and South.

Multiple Forest players will be in line to appear in an England shirt on the pitch, none more so than star player Morgan Gibbs-White, who made his senior England debut under interim manager Lee Carsley in 2024.

Midfielder Elliot Anderson is also currently in with a shout for his first senior England appearance, having made four appearances for England U-21s and enjoying a memorable season as the Reds sit 3rd in the Premier League.

England, then managed by Gareth Southgate, last played Senegal during the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where goals from Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka knocked the African nation out of the tournament. Former Red Moussa Niakhaté featured in that game and may make his return to the City Ground in June after leaving last Summer to join French side Lyon for £27 million.

The stadium was last chosen as an international venue during Euro 96, where three group stage matches – Turkey Vs Croatia, Portugal Vs Turkey and Croatia Vs Portugal – were played on Trentside with players including Luís Figo and Davor Šuker appearing.

Nottingham Forest have been approached for comment.

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