The England national football team defeated Croatia 2-1 in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Wednesday evening, June 17, 2026.
Manager Thomas Tuchel earned his first tournament victory as Jude Bellingham scored a crucial goal after halftime, reflecting England's second-half dominance despite conceding two avoidable goals.
Fan Gatherings in Dallas
Prior to kickoff, hundreds of English supporters gathered at the Londoner Pub in Dallas, where they consumed over 5,000 beers.
The venue reached maximum capacity, and fans briefly defied local police dispersal requests.
England captain Harry Kane expressed confidence in the squad's prospects under the new management.
"It's one of the best opportunities we will have as a team to win it," he said.
Kane acknowledged the high expectations surrounding the team's journey in the United States.
"I want the fans to have that excitement, whether they're here or back home," he added.
Logistical Challenges for Supporters
Event organizer John Gallivan noted that the geographical scale of the United States created logistical challenges for traveling supporters compared to European tournaments.
"America's massive, it's so big, so vast," he said.
Gallivan, a Bristol native, explained that he had to actively search for venues willing to accommodate the large influx of traveling British spectators.
"When we go to Europe, it's really easy – you know where you're going to be," he said.
He added that spontaneity was much harder to achieve across the host cities.
"You don't have to ask, you don't have to look, you just know where we're going to be," Gallivan said.
To bring the fanbase together, the coordinator marketed the specific gathering online.
"In America, that's impossible – so the whole idea of today was to just find somewhere, get them to put a deal on the beer and then advertise it," he explained.
The gathering grew much larger than expected, prompting mixed feelings about the tournament's financial accessibility. "We've been here since 4pm and it's been grand.
I feel sorry for the bar staff," Gallivan said.
He criticized FIFA's ticketing and travel costs, which prevented many regular international supporters from making the trip to Texas.
"I think the way Fifa have managed it, it's been disgraceful. We've been dealt a bad hand," he said.
Many dedicated fans who regularly attend qualification matches were unable to finance the journey.
"We could have brought so many more out here, but sadly they've been outpriced," Gallivan said.
He expressed frustration that traditional supporters were excluded due to high expenses.
"People that I spent time with in Albania and Latvia and had a really good night with, who go home and away, they've been priced out of it and that's not right.
They shouldn't have been," he added.
Despite the logistical issues, Gallivan noted that local residents had been highly welcoming. He planned to establish another central hub for the next group match in Boston.
"I've reached out to several outlets in Boston and I'm waiting to see who can do the best deal," he said.
Gallivan dismissed negative stereotypes about British fans abroad.
"Anywhere I go, whether it's buying a drink in a shop or ordering food, as soon as I order, they go, 'Oh wait, where are you from?
Britain? England?'
They're excited to have you here," he said.
Locals expressed genuine enthusiasm about hosting international spectators. "So that whole narrative that England are disliked is not true at all," Gallivan concluded.
Following the victory in Dallas, England will travel to Boston for their next scheduled group stage fixture.
