Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds announce 30th anniversary reissue of ‘Three Lions’

Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds have announced a 30th anniversary re-release of ‘Three Lions’, timed to England’s next World Cup run this summer.

The single will arrive on June 12 (pre-order it here), 30 years after David Baddiel and Frank Skinner teamed with The Lightning Seeds to write it for England’s hosting of Euro 96.

The song has since become a chart outlier. It is the only track to reach UK Number One four times with the same artist. It topped the charts twice in 1996, returned to the top for three straight weeks during the 1998 World Cup, and did it again in 2018, when it jumped from Number 24 to Number One in a week.

The new reissue is being positioned for England’s buildup to the 2026 World Cup and marks three decades since the original release.

‘Three Lions’ 2026 cover artwork. CREDIT: David Squires

The release includes new illustrated artwork by Guardian cartoonist David Squires. Vinyl editions will also come in several variations: a ‘Remastered’ version, a ‘Karaoke’ version, the ‘Jules Rimet Extended Mix’, and the ‘Sake Bar Remix’.

This is not the first update the trio has issued. After the original 1996 single, they released ‘Three Lions ‘98’, which added crowd audio recorded at Euro 96.

Later came ‘It’s Coming Home For Christmas’ in 2022, ahead of the World Cup in Qatar. That version used festive bells and changed the lyrics to acknowledge the Lionesses after their Euros win that year.

Robbie Williams also fronted a charity remake of the track in 2010 with Russell Brand under the name ‘The Squad’.

The 2026 World Cup runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The Lightning Seeds have summer tour dates with Deacon Blue, plus a run of festival appearances. Visit here for tickets and more information.