Molineux to host England men's team for first time since 1956

Gareth Southgate's side will travel to Wolverhampton to face Italy on Saturday June 11, which will be behind closed doors due to UEFA sanctions, and then Hungary on Tuesday June 14, which fans will be able to attend.

The senior men's team have played at Molineux on four previous occasions and the last came in December 1956 when England beat Denmark 5-2 in a World Cup qualifier for the 1958 tournament, a game which included a brace from Manchester United's Dudley-born hero, Duncan Edwards.

Matt Wild, Wolves’ general manager of football operations, said: “Following on from the success of the under-21 matches we hosted back in 2020 and the highly-anticipated England Women’s game next week, we’re delighted to have been given the opportunity to host the senior men’s side for two of their home Nations League fixtures.

“We’re proud that Molineux and Wolverhampton is establishing itself as an international sporting venue and we look forward to welcoming the England senior men’s team back to the city for the first time since 1956.

“The people of Wolverhampton have had to wait a long time to see the team in their city and many of our supporters would have never had the chance to watch the Three Lions at Molineux, so we are thrilled to be hosting these fixtures, as it will be a great occasion for the city, for the club and for supporters.”

As well as facing Italy and Hungary home and away in this year’s Nations League group stages, England have also been drawn alongside Germany in Group A3.

The competition will begin this summer with a trip to face Hungary in Budapest on Saturday June 4, before the Three Lions take on Germany in Munich on Tuesday June 7. The group stages will be completed in September before the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar gets underway in November.

Southgate said: “While Wembley is our home, we very much enjoy taking the squad on the road where possible, particularly in the run up to a major tournament.

“2022 promises to be an exciting adventure for England fans and it is great that one of English football’s famous stadiums will be a part of that.

“I know from my time in charge of the under-21s how much a Molineux crowd embraces the experience of international football, so we look forward to returning to Wolverhampton in June.”

Ticket details for the fixture against Hungary in June will be announced in due course.

Molineux has regularly hosted men's under-21 matches and in 2020 held three U21 Championship qualifying fixtures against Turkey, Andorra and Albania.

England Women are also playing at Molineux on Wednesday February 23 in an Arnold Clark Cup fixture against Germany.