France, England fans gather ahead of soccer match at Wembley

The Football Association have been forced to apologise after the match programme for tonight’s England vs France match contained no reference to the Paris terror attacks.

Happening just four days after a string of terrorist acts killed 129 in Paris, the game will at times take a backseat to the extensive list of memorial activities England’s Football Association has planned.

It was not immediately clear whether the game would go ahead following the attacks, in which French worldwide footballer Lassana Diarra lost his cousin Asta Diakite.

Suicide bombers detonated three devices outside the Stade de France sports stadium in central Paris, during a match between France and Germany.

Armed police patrol Wembley Stadium in Londong before Tuesday’s friendly. The world as one – football has the power to do that. The stadium bore the words Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite in red, white and blue and the arch over the ground was also lit in the colours of the French flag.

Germany, who were playing France on Friday during the attacks, take on Holland in Hannover.

Wembley’s bars will shut five minutes before kick-off to encourage fans to observe tributes including a minute’s silence, the laying of flowers by team captains Wayne Rooney and Hugo Lloris and the singing of “La Marseillaise”.

A friendly match between hosts Germany and Netherlands in Hanover was called off less than two hours before its start on Tuesday for fear of a bomb attack, German police said, while a tie between Belgium and Spain was postponed for security reasons.

As well as a minute’s silence, the French anthem will be sung after God Save The Queen. Two England fans held up a French flag, on which was written: “Be Strong For Paris”.

“We’d like fans to turn up a bit earlier as there will be more security checks and police around the area”, Glenn said.

England manager Roy Hodgson has urged all supporters to play their part at tonight’s worldwide friendly against France at Wembley.

Prince William, who helped lay floral tributes beside the field, and British Prime Minister David Cameron were among the near-80,000 spectators at Wembley, where there was an increased police presence and enhanced security measures that included compulsory bag searches.

“Don’t show you are afraid”.

“Tomorrow (Tuesday) will be a great night of togetherness for everyone to see, for the terrorists to see the world will go on and stand against them”, he said.