England supporters flocked to Dallas, eager to witness their team’s opening match against Croatia in the 2026 World Cup, marking a momentous occasion for many attendees.
Oli Lee, a music producer originally from Kent and now residing in Los Angeles, shared his enthusiasm, stating, “I’ve never been to a World Cup game before so I thought it was something I couldn’t miss out on,”
Approximately 4,000 England fans secured tickets for the match at the state-of-the-art Arlington Stadium, home to the Dallas Cowboys. However, estimates suggest that around 15,000 fans were present in Texas for the festivities. A viral video captured some fans singing “I paid $800 (£604) for my ticket but it was all worth it. We had a bit of a session in Dallas – I ended up jumping in a pool with my phone in my pocket but it’s still working somehow!” during a break at the Fort Worth Rodeo, while many embraced the local cowboy culture by donning hats to shield themselves from the intense Texan sun.
A pub in downtown Dallas, known as the Londoner, reported a remarkable sales surge, exhausting their beer supply after fans spent nearly $30,000 in just three hours. Local media cited claims from UK reports indicating that police had to intervene and remove some individuals, though law enforcement disputed this, stating that no fans were forcibly removed.
No significant incidents occurred before or after the match. FIFA has downplayed claims that some ticketless fans managed to bypass security despite tight measures being enforced. Reports suggest that some supporters paid over $1,000 for tickets, with a spokesperson for the England fans group Free Lions noting that a few fans traveled to the U.S. hopeful of securing last-minute deals.
“I think a lot of fans were waiting for prices to come down but they just haven’t,” he said. “There’s still a lot of demand there and I think a few fans have travelled without tickets.”
Lee Williams, hailing from south London, meticulously planned his trip for months. After attending the co-hosts’ opening match in Los Angeles, he enjoyed a brief beach getaway in Mexico before arriving in Dallas. He hopes to return for the semi-finals if England progresses that far.
“It’s been absolutely brilliant,” he expressed. “The cost is astronomical – I’ve been scared to look at my bank balance in the mornings. We bought a round of six beers last night and it cost north of $100. But the vibe has been great and the Americans have really bought into the whole thing. The atmosphere was unbelievable in Los Angeles. I’m going home to work to pay off what I’ve spent out here.”
Williams, who works in finance and coaches the Millwall Lionesses Under-18 team, was impressed by Thomas Tuchel’s halftime address, which galvanized England to take control after conceding a second equalizer just before halftime. “I loved Gareth Southgate but he was slightly more conservative than I thought we should have been given the talent we have at our disposal. I like the way that we really took the game to Croatia in the second half and decided to take risks.” he remarked.
However, he expressed a desire to see Marc Guéhi included to strengthen a defense that appeared vulnerable in the first half. “A new centre-back pairing is going to take a long time to bed in – if you are going to go far in any competition then your goalkeeper and centre-backs have to be stable and settled. Hopefully it clicks,” he added.
Members of England fan groups, including Free Lions, visited all three group stage venues in March to prepare for the tournament. They have been advised to take the train, which costs about $80, to reach the next match against Ghana at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, located 30 miles from downtown Boston. Williams will be watching nervously from home in Los Angeles.
“It’s so stressful – I never feel comfortable,” he admitted. “When Harry Kane missed that first penalty I thought it was a terrible omen. But, as the game progressed, we got stronger. Hopefully we can go all the way this time.”
