EPA
Next month's Euro 2016 clash between England and Wales has been named as one of five group stage matches that will be placed on the highest state of alert.The game – which takes place in Lens on June 16 – is viewed as a potential target for a terrorist attack, while the presence of two British sides means it is also considered to be a hooliganism risk.A report by the The Times says intelligence services have identified English, Welsh and Russian visitors as prime targets for a terrorist attack due to their countries' involvement in the ongoing Syria conflict.As such England's opening match against Russia (June 11) has also been placed among the five high-risk games. The others are Turkey v Croatia, Germany v Poland, and Ukraine v Poland.Thousands of English and Welsh supporters are expected to travel to Lens for the June 16 encounter, which will be the nations' first ever meeting at a major tournament. Public demand for the match at the 38,000-capacity Stade Bollaert-Delelis has been such that tickets are being offered for 10 times their face value on eBay.But considerable worries remain in France following last November's terror attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people.Speaking to German newspaper Die Welt last week, Europol director Rob Wainwright said there are "great concerns" about the upcoming tournament as it will be "an attractive target for terrorists".While stadiums seem the obvious risk, other public spaces such as railway stations, restaurants and bars are also viewed as potential targets. The Times quotes Laurent Nunez – police chief for the Marseilles region, where England will play Russia – as saying: "We know that the risk is multiple and diffuse. It is not only the fanzones and the stadiums that we will be watching, but also all the other places where fans can congregate."France remains in a state of emergency, which is expected to continue until the end of July.
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