England Fans Break the Bank in Dallas as World Cup Adventure Begins
For thousands of England supporters who made the trip to Texas, watching Thomas Tuchel’s side beat Croatia in their 2026 World Cup opener was an experience they will not forget in a hurry — even if their bank balances tell a different story.
According to The Guardian, around 4,000 England fans had tickets for the match at Arlington Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, but as many as 15,000 supporters are thought to have been in Texas for the build-up. Pre-match festivities included a now-viral video of fans belting out “Sweet Caroline” at the Fort Worth Rodeo, with many leaning into the cowboy theme by picking up hats to deal with the fierce Texan heat.
The spending did not stop there. A pub in downtown Dallas called the Londoner reportedly saw fans run up a tab of nearly $30,000 in just three hours. For context, one supporter told The Guardian that a round of six beers cost him “north of $100”.
Tickets themselves were another major outlay. Oli Lee, a music producer from Kent based in Los Angeles, paid $800 (around £604) for his seat. Some fans are believed to have spent well over $1,000. A spokesperson for the England fan group Free Lions noted that many supporters had held out for prices to drop — only to find they never did, with some ultimately travelling without tickets and hoping to source them on arrival.
Despite the eye-watering costs, the mood among fans has been overwhelmingly positive. Lee Williams, a finance worker from south London who also coaches Millwall Lionesses Under-18s, took in the co-hosts’ opener in Los Angeles before heading to Dallas. “The vibe has been great and the Americans have really bought into the whole thing,” he said, adding that he plans to return home to “pay off” what he has spent.
On the football itself, Williams praised Tuchel’s half-time intervention against Croatia, which helped England turn the game around after a shaky first half. He did, however, express concern about the centre-back pairing and called for Marc Guéhi to come into the side to provide greater stability at the back.
For England’s next group fixture against Ghana at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, near Boston, fan groups are recommending supporters take the train — a relatively modest $80 compared to everything else on this trip.
Follow all the action and check the World Cup 2026 hub for the latest news, or keep an eye on the live standings as the group stage unfolds.