good afternoon. england plasma footballers are preparing themselves for their most important match in decades. it is the final of the european championship at wembley this evening against italy. it could be the most watched television event in the uk in broadcasting history. the fa chief executive says the mood in the england camp is calm. here is our spot correspondent. it is football plasma christmas eve. some

fans are already at wembley. who can blame them? 55 years is a long time to wait. we blame them? 55 years is a long time to wait. ~ , ., to wait. we needed this after the time we have _ to wait. we needed this after the time we have had. _ we need excitement, we need to be behind our country.— behind our country. southgate manaued behind our country. southgate managed to — behind our country. southgate managed to find _ behind our country. southgate managed to find something i behind our country. southgate i managed to find something that behind our country. southgate - managed to find something that has brought— managed to find something that has brought the togetherness and it seems — brought the togetherness and it seems like they can do it this time. 55 years _ seems like they can do it this time. 55 ears. , . , seems like they can do it this time. 55 ears. , .,, ., ., ., 55 years. this was our moment to reresent 55 years. this was our moment to represent our _ 55 years. this was our moment to represent our time. _ 55 years. this was our moment to represent our time. the - 55 years. this was our moment to represent our time. the near - 55 years. this was our moment to i represent our time. the near misses and the tournaments that haven't gone so well were important for this team. their resilience and experience as a team have prepared them for this moment. this experience as a team have prepared them for this moment.— experience as a team have prepared them for this moment. this team has taken the public _ them for this moment. this team has taken the public along _ them for this moment. this team has taken the public along for— them for this moment. this team has taken the public along for the - them for this moment. this team has taken the public along for the ride. i taken the public along for the ride. when they left their base in staffordshire yesterday, when they arrived in london, the players were reminded just what this means to the nation. but let's not forget about italy, a team unbeaten in three

years. they were pushed very close in their semifinal by spain, but went through on penalties. england have never beaten them in a major tournament. the players have been a picture of calm, holed up inside their team hotel this morning. it theirteam hotelthis morning. it wouldn't surprise me if many of them are of— wouldn't surprise me if many of them are of social— wouldn't surprise me if many of them are of social media, limiting their phones _ are of social media, limiting their phones and staying away from that so they dont— phones and staying away from that so they don't get too hyped up about they don't get too hyped up about the whole situation. it is a balance of being _ the whole situation. it is a balance of being focused and also being relaxed~ — of being focused and also being relaxed. . , of being focused and also being relaxed. ., , ., , ., of being focused and also being relaxed. ., , ., ~ , relaxed. fans hope the team can keep their head while _ relaxed. fans hope the team can keep their head while all _ relaxed. fans hope the team can keep their head while all around _ relaxed. fans hope the team can keep their head while all around them i relaxed. fans hope the team can keep their head while all around them are l their head while all around them are losing theirs. there really is no other story in town. the players have had messages from the queen, the prime minister, a facetime call from tom cruise and the duke of cambridge. i from tom cruise and the duke of cambridge-— from tom cruise and the duke of cambridae. �* ., , , cambridge. i can't really believe it is happening- _ cambridge. i can't really believe it is happening- so _ cambridge. i can't really believe it is happening. so exciting. - cambridge. i can't really believe it is happening. so exciting. i- cambridge. i can't really believe it is happening. so exciting. i wish l is happening. so exciting. i wish you the very best of luck. the very best of england, and the whole country is behind you. so bring it home. ~ ., , , ., ,

home. when the final whistle blows at wembley — home. when the final whistle blows at wembley tonight, _ home. when the final whistle blows at wembley tonight, their _ home. when the final whistle blows at wembley tonight, their weight i at wembley tonight, their weight could be over. for too long, history has weighed them down. the golden generation is expected to emulate what sir ralph ramsey achieved in 1966. at this class of 2021 under gareth southgate has a best chance yet. they have never been closer to sporting immortality. the mind games have started. gareth southgate says... the intelligent manager has said no, they have a huge advantage, having played six of their seven games at wembley. gareth has asked fans not to boo the anthem of italy. when england go abroad and the english anthem is booed, it inspires a team, and it is important forfans to respect the opposition. i suspect that might fall on deaf ears tonight. but wembley will be electric. it is a strange experience for these england fans. the edge of their seat has never felt so comfortable, especially with everything that has gone before.

southgate explained last night that the team will do tonight what they have done this whole tournament. ignore the noise swelling around them, controlled that controllable. that is a most english of sensibilities, to keep calm and carry on. natalie, thank you very much. fans across italy are also preparing for the big game tonight. here is our europe correspondent in rome. what is the atmosphere like that? ,, ., , that? seven hours till kick-off. the anthems have _ that? seven hours till kick-off. the anthems have been _ that? seven hours till kick-off. the anthems have been going, - that? seven hours till kick-off. the anthems have been going, fans i that? seven hours till kick-off. the i anthems have been going, fans have been arriving, the atmosphere will been arriving, the atmosphere will be electric. two great footballing cultures, both of whom think they invented the game. perhaps this was always going to be a little bit personal. if you read the italian papers, look at social media here, it is being framed every kind of way. catholics against anglicans, a mission to stop their european trophy going to a nation that has just left the eu. however you slice

it, this is going to be a really big match for both sides and you might say the pressure is on england after 55 years. italy won a major tournamentjust 55 years. italy won a major tournament just 15 years 55 years. italy won a major tournamentjust 15 years ago. but they did fail to qualify for the world cup last time. so there is pressure on the italian team, also. thank you, lucy. the government says people will still be expected to wear masks in many indoor spaces and on public transport after covid—19 restrictions are lifted. the prime minister is due to confirm tomorrow whether most of england's lockdown rules will end on the 19th ofjuly, including the legal requirement to wear masks. she said the government wants to stress the need for personal responsibility and corporate responsibility. restrictions are eased. here is our health correspondent. it is one of the most visible signs of the pandemic. injust over the most visible signs of the

pandemic. in just over one week's time, the legal requirement to wear a mask in england is set to end. speaking this morning, the vaccines minister said there will still be an expectation to mask up in some indoor spaces. the expectation to mask up in some indoor spaces.— expectation to mask up in some indoor spaces. the guidelines will be very clear _ indoor spaces. the guidelines will be very clear on _ indoor spaces. the guidelines will be very clear on things _ indoor spaces. the guidelines will be very clear on things like i indoor spaces. the guidelines will be very clear on things like mask| be very clear on things like mask wearing. there is an expectation of people to wear masks indoors, in crowded places, on public transport. rather by government by dicta, we are saying we move to step four cautiously. in are saying we move to step four cautiously-— are saying we move to step four cautiousl . ~ ., , ., ., ., cautiously. in wales, scotland and northern ireland _ cautiously. in wales, scotland and northern ireland the _ cautiously. in wales, scotland and northern ireland the legal - cautiously. in wales, scotland and northern ireland the legal need i cautiously. in wales, scotland and. northern ireland the legal need will remain in some indoor venues. in england, making it voluntary in eight days' time will be a mistake. we think more could be done to make public— we think more could be done to make public spaces ventilated. people who do need _ public spaces ventilated. people who do need to— public spaces ventilated. people who do need to go home to self—isolate need _ do need to go home to self—isolate need them — do need to go home to self—isolate need them if they are on low income, to he _ need them if they are on low income, to be financially supported. it to be financially supported. comes as to be financially supported. it comes as infections continue to write across much of the country.

more people are mixing and there are signs that the football has led to a spike in cases among young men, though in scotland that trend is now starting to reverse. ministers have said the number of daily infections across the uk could hit 100,000 by august. vaccines will keep the vast majority out of hospital, but some my warning there could still be real disruption to nhs services. thea; disruption to nhs services. they would be younger, _ disruption to nhs services. they would be younger, less - disruption to nhs services. tue: would be younger, less severe, disruption to nhs services. tte would be younger, less severe, the shorter stays. would be younger, less severe, the shorterstays. numbers would be younger, less severe, the shorter stays. numbers in hospital would still be well below the second weight peak, even if we did hit that 100,000 a day. but it is very destructive having covid—19 cases and there would be a lot of bad outcomes. but i guess thejudgment dated is better we do it now than in the winter. fist dated is better we do it now than in the winter. �* . , dated is better we do it now than in the winter. �* ., , . ., . the winter. at a news conference tomorrow. _ the winter. at a news conference tomorrow, boris _ the winter. at a news conference tomorrow, boris johnson - the winter. at a news conference tomorrow, boris johnson will i the winter. at a news conference i tomorrow, boris johnson will confirm tomorrow, borisjohnson will confirm plans to lift most remaining restrictions in england. it is clear that the message will be one of

caution rather than celebration, as ministers and trying navigate out of this pandemic. this afternoon, businessman sir richard branson is set for take off for a trip to the edge of space on the first passenger flight on his virgin galactic spaceship. if it goes to plan, he will become the first founder of a space company to make the trip on a vehicle that he helped to fund. i would correspondent is live at spaceport america in new mexico. i gather the lodge has been slightly delayed. gather the lodge has been slightly dela ed. . , gather the lodge has been slightly dela ed. ., , ., ., delayed. that is right. i am at the world first — delayed. that is right. i am at the world first purpose-built - delayed. that is right. i am at the i world first purpose-built commercial world first purpose—built commercial spaceport where in a couple of hours' time a lifelong dream be a reality when sir richard branson and two pilot and three other crew members will fly to the edge of space. the lunchtime has already been pushed back by an hour and a half. that is due to weather conditions overnight, but the sun is now rising and we are told that

everything is looking good. in a couple of hours we should seek the spaceship lodge from the two mile run weightjust beside me, along with the mothership, eve. after 45 minutes it should detach from that mothership and rocket to the edge of space, some 50 miles above the earth's service. this has been more than 16 years in the making. he has invested hundreds of millions of pounds and for that hefty price tag he should experience just a a few minutes of weightlessness and get a view of earth enjoyed by only a few hundred humans before him. if it goes to plan, he will come out on the tarmac behind make a mere mortal billionaire and return to earth as an astronaut and then he will watch the football. he an astronaut and then he will watch the football-— the football. he will be 'ust in time. thank i the football. he will be 'ust in time. thank you i the football. he will be 'ust in time. thank you very i the football. he will be just in time. thank you very much i the football. he will be just in i time. thank you very much indeed. you can see more on all of today's stories on the bbc news channel. the next news on bbc one is at six. before that, it is time for the news where you are.

hello, there. with such a big sporting day ahead, what does the weather hold in store? it's not exactly a simple picture day, it's quite complicated. it's sunny spells and showers, low pressure sat to the south—west of us. it looks as if we'll see fewest showers in southern and eastern areas, some of the heaviest ones, northern england and scotland, light winds mean they will be slow—moving, some torrential, thundery downpours, and then this is a more persistent band of rain moving in on the weather front to the south and west through the afternoon. now, in the sunshine, 22, 23 celsius. that's possible at wimbledon for the final day of play. i'd say, on balance, probably mostly dry, the odd light shower, but into the evening, this rain may arrive, if the play continues that late, so, it does look as if it's going to arrive in time for the football at wembley around about kick—off, it will be around through the match, and certainly for the players�* and fans�* journey home, because that rain, when it's set in, is with us through the evening overnight in southern areas,

showery outbreaks of rain, some heavy rain, as well. any big showers in the north will tend to ease down overnight. we keep quite a bit of cloud, we pick up the mist and fog again as we have this morning. it's going to be quite a mild night for most of us. now, by tomorrow, that low pressure is set to the east of us inside of the south—west, so, different distribution of the showers, more around southern and eastern areas circulating around that area of low pressure, but, equally, it's still low pressure, so there's going to be some sharp downpours further north and west, but, perhaps, here, some of the longer spells of sunshine. i think quite warm in the sunshine. of the longer spells of sunshine. now, the reason that we have got low pressure to the east of us is the jet stream has dived southwards, so that low pressure's developed across central parts of europe, it hangs around for much of the week, just drifting a bit further eastwards and allowing this ridge of high pressure, the azores high, to move in its place with some weak weather fronts in the north, but for tuesday, still the risk

of a few lively downpours, particularly central and eastern areas close to that area of low pressure. wouldn't like to rule out some more persistent rain in southern and eastern areas, but when we get the length list spells of sunshine, that's where we will see temperatures slowly responding, creeping up a degree or so, i think, to go through the week with lengthier spells of sunshine and, on the whole, fewer showers. as ever, you can find out more information on the website.

this is bbc news, i'm 0lly foster live at wembley, ahead of tonight's european championship final. cheering european championship final. and applause. for england's men, this has been a long time coming, the match against italy, their first major final for more than half a century. their resilience and experiences as a team have really prepared them well for this moment. there's excitement too in italy, as the four time world cup winners are confident they can beat england. the hopes of millions will be behind southgates team at wembley — with the queen, prince william and borisjohnson leading the messages of support.

i'm ben brown with our other main stories.