Fire breaks out at Andorra stadium ahead of England’s World Cup qualifier

Fire broke out at Estadi Nacional on Friday afternoon (Simon Peach/PA)

A fire broke out at Andorra’s national stadium on the eve of the World Cup qualifier against England.

The Three Lions are in the Pyrenees ahead of Saturday evening’s Group I clash against the side ranked 156th in the world.

The visitors trained at the Estadi Nacional on Friday lunchtime, before manager Gareth Southgate and stand-in skipper Kieran Trippier faced the media.

Shortly after they left the 3,300-capacity stadium a spectacular fire broke out on the TV gantry, with black smoke filling the air as flames ripped through the structure.

One onlooker said that welders were working there before the blaze.

Stadium staff tried to get the fire under control with the pitch sprinklers before the fire brigade arrived. Police were also in attendance, along with UEFA and Andorran Football Federation staff.

The Football Association is trying to ascertain if there is any impact on Saturday evening’s qualifier in Andorra la Valle.

A dugout has melted and the video assistant referee’s monitor was burnt, with the walls blackened by the fire.

There was debris on a part of the pitch and widespread damage to the touchline in Andorra, where they have an artificial surface.