England to host Italy in first Euro 2020 warm-up friendly

Italy will play England at Wembley on March 27, as the Azzurri and the Three Lions begin their preparations for Euro 2020.

England will face Italy in the first of four warm-up matches for Euro 2020, with Gareth Southgate’s side set to host the Azzurri on March 27.

The Three Lions secured qualification for next year’s finals in style with a 7-0 thrashing of Montenegro in November, before rounding off their campaign by defeating Kosovo 4-0.

Southgate’s side will face Croatia, victors in the 2018 World Cup semi-final meeting between the teams, and the Czech Republic – who inflicted England’s only defeat of the qualification campaign – in Group D, with Scotland, Israel, Norway or Serbia set to complete the pool.

Four-time world champions Italy have won 11 straight games under Roberto Mancini, their longest run of consecutive victories, and will play Turkey, Switzerland and Wales in Group A, with all of the Azzurri’s group matches to be played in Rome.

England have also lined up friendlies against Denmark on March 31, Austria on June 2 and Romania five days later, with their Euros campaign set to kick-off at Wembley on June 14.