The All England Lawn Tennis Club will not be showing coverage of England’s last-16 World Cup showdown with Colombia on Tuesday night, with Wimbledon organisers keen to keep the event a strictly tennis affair.
The Championships has a long-standing policy of not showing football within its grounds, and intends to enforce this once again tonight – despite the significance of England’s clash.
As such, England fans will be unable to watch the match, or any other knockout games during the World Cup, on Henman Hill or other screens inside the All England Club.
“In previous years we have never shown the football, whether it is the European Championships or the World Cup, and there will be no change to that,” Richard Lewis, the chief executive of the All England Club, said ahead of the tournament.
“We think people recognise they are at a tennis event. It has always been an accepted policy.
“It has worked very well for us and never proved controversial. We love seeing England do well and would love Gareth Southgate and his side to do well at this World Cup.”
Wimbledon organisers have also confirmed that the men’s final, which is expected to start around 2.15pm on Sunday 15 July, would not be moved forward in order to avoid a clash with the World Cup final, which kicks off at 4pm on the same day.
