Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds have announced a 30th anniversary re-release of ‘Three Lions’, as England head into another World Cup this summer.
The track will be released on June 12 (pre-order it here), and arrives three decades after comedy duo David Baddiel and Frank Skinner joined forces with indie rockers The Lightning Seeds to write the track in celebration of England hosting the Euro 96 tournament.
It went on to become the only song to ever reach UK Number One on four separate occasions with the same artist. It topped the charts twice when it first dropped in 1996, climbed back to the peak position for three consecutive weeks during the 1998 World Cup, and again in 2018. With the latter, it made chart history by jumping from Number 24 to Number One in just a week.
Now, the track is being re-released in time for England heading into the 2026 World Cup, and the new version celebrates three decades since the original release.
‘Three Lions’ 2026 cover artwork. CREDIT: David Squires
It comes with new illustrated artwork by Guardian cartoonist David Squires, and the vinyl release has new variations including a ‘Remastered’ version, a ‘Karaoke’ version, the ‘Jules Rimet Extended Mix’, and the ‘Sake Bar Remix’.
It isn’t the first time that a new version of the single has been released by Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds. After the original 1996 release, the trio also shared the ‘Three Lions ‘98’ remix, which updated the original with real-world audio from the stadium crowds singing the song at Euro ‘96.
There was also a ‘It’s Coming Home For Christmas’ festive remix in 2022 ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. That version incorporated festive bells and adjusted the lyrics to give a shout out to the women’s national team, the Lionesses, for winning that year’s Euros.
Robbie Williams led a charity remake of the song too alongside Russell Brand in 2010 for that year’s World Cup, and shared it under the name ‘The Squad’.
The 2026 World Cup will be held between June 11 and July 19, 2026, and co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The Lightning Seeds have tour dates lined-up for this summer alongside Deacon Blue, as well as a number of festival dates, alongside a tour with Deacon Blue. Visit here for tickets and more information.
English (US) · 