Rugby fans head for Paris

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

And with England's footballers due to take on Estonia in a Euro 2008 qualifier at Wembley on the same day, retailers and pubs are bracing themselves for a huge increase in sales.

British Airways reported full flights from London to Paris while many fans were also travelling to France by Eurostar train and by ferry.

Eurostar, which runs from London's Waterloo station through the Channel Tunnel to France and Belgium, has put on extra services to cope with the upturn in demand.

A Eurostar spokesman said: "We are taking around 28,000 passengers to Paris this weekend and that's about 40% up on the same weekend last year.

"There are a few seats left, but all the best-deal tickets have long gone. It's not just England fans who are travelling with us. There's a huge French ex-pat community in London and many are going over for the match."

A BA spokeswoman said: "It's hard to get a seat on our Paris flights this weekend. Paris is always a popular weekend spot and it's a particularly busy route this weekend."

With the England-Estonia football match starting at 3pm and the rugby beginning at 8pm, pubs predict that customer numbers will swell by an estimated nine million compared to a standard Saturday, with beer sales rising from 22 million pints to a predicted 30 million.

ITV1 predicts that its viewing figures for the rugby will eclipse the six million who tuned in for the previous England rugby match.

Asda is braced for its beer sales to double compared to last weekend, as fans prepare for the matches. Curry sales are already up 15% week-on-week at the chain.