BT unveils Euro 2028 football poem with Frank Skinner

BT has unveiled a football poem and film featuring Frank Skinner and former players from the Home Nations to mark its role as Official Telecommunications Partner of UEFA EURO 2028.

The campaign centres on a spoken-word performance at Wembley Stadium, one of the tournament venues, with appearances from Izzy Christiansen, Helen Ward, Rachel Corsie and Keith Gillespie.

Fan voices

The work was shaped by responses from supporters in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and reflects how fans now follow major tournaments across stadiums, pubs, fan parks and homes.  BT tied the project to its wider branding update and preparations for tournament connectivity.

Research commissioned by the group found that 75% of people were already excited for UEFA EURO 2028 to be staged in the UK and Ireland, while 72% said tournaments such as the European Championship shape the nation's culture, identity and mood. The survey also found that 45% of respondents most strongly associated UEFA Euro 1996 with the song Three Lions.

That helps explain the choice of Skinner, who co-wrote Three Lions and appears in the new film. BT is using his long association with football culture to anchor a campaign that leans on nostalgia as well as current viewing habits.

Network rollout

The campaign also draws attention to BT's network plans for the tournament. Wembley already has a permanent 5G+ network, and fans in several host cities, including London, Glasgow, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff and Liverpool, are expected to see mobile performance rise by up to 20%.

Each of the 24 tournament training venues will also receive a dedicated 5G+ network slice. BT added that it plans to offer eSIM products for supporters travelling around the UK and from overseas who want to stay connected during matches and fan events.

Those plans reflect a broader commercial push by telecoms groups to link major sporting rights with mobile and broadband services. Football tournaments give operators a chance to show how networks cope with spikes in demand from streaming, messaging, social media sharing and digital ticketing.

Fan expectations

BT cited separate findings showing that 62% of UK sports fans want technology to improve the in-stadium experience. That presents an opportunity for network providers, while also raising expectations around coverage and reliability at venues and in surrounding public areas.

Claire Gillies, chief executive of BT Consumer, said the company sees the tournament as both a major national moment and a test of its networks and customer services.

"UEFA EURO 2028 will be one of the defining moments for the UK this decade. We're incredibly proud that BT is the Official Telecommunications Partner, using the full strength of our networks and technology to help power every moment, wherever fans choose to experience the action. The poem is a celebration of football's ability to bring people together and reflects the power of connectivity to unite fans through shared experiences. Every day, millions of customers depend on BT to do brilliant things, and as we look ahead to EURO 2028, we're focused on providing the infrastructure and fan experiences that will help deliver the most connected tournament for the UK," said Gillies.

Skinner said the creative process drew heavily on what supporters said about modern football and the communal nature of following a national side.

"When BT asked me to help capture what football means to fans today, I loved the idea of collaborating on something inspired by supporters themselves. What came through was a real sense of togetherness, that football doesn't just entertain us, it connects us. As we look ahead to UEFA EURO 2028 on home soil, it feels fitting to celebrate the way the game brings people closer, whether through a shared chant, a shared screen or a shared moment of joy," said Skinner.

The other contributors framed the campaign around national identity as much as football. Christiansen spoke about the game's growing visibility and participation in England, while Ward focused on representation and pride in Wales. Corsie pointed to football's place in Scottish identity, and Gillespie described the persistence of Northern Irish support away from home.