Up to 15,000 England fans head to Dallas for World Cup opener

A significant story is unfolding on the international scene. Up to 15,000 England fans head to Dallas for World Cup openerImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Many England fans headed out to the United States for the pre-tournament friendlies against New Zealand and Costa RicaByDale Johnson Football issues correspondentPublished3 hours agoEngland fans have had a longer wait than most for their 2026 World Cup campaign to get under way. On Wednesday, six days after the tournament began, the Three Lions will walk out at the Dallas Stadium for their opener against Croatia. It is difficult to predict how many England fans will turn up, draping the St George's Cross around the stands.

The official England Supporters' Travel Club (ESTC) has sold its allocation of 4,022 tickets. Controversially, a few appear to be listed on Fifa's resale site at inflated prices. The number of fans who travel independently and the ex-pats is really an unknown.

The Details

The United Kingdom Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) told Sport that between 12,000 and 15,000 England fans are expected at each group stage game. The UKFPU added that 89,000 World Cup tickets have been purchased by fans from England. That covers all 104 matches and there is no individual breakdown, while most fans will attend more than one fixture.

But that number does not include the supporters who have headed out to the United States without securing tickets. Germany in 2006 was the high point, with the UKFPU estimating that 350,000 people made the short trip to watch games in stadia but mostly at fan parks. Only 4,000 are thought to have visited Qatar four years ago, while 20,000 to 30,000 is a more usual figure.

How much do last-minute tickets cost? Figure caption, The England fans who paid £850 each for their World Cup ticketsThe price of tickets for the 2026 World Cup has been controversial since the outset, with one England fan calling it a "betrayal" when they went on sale to members of the ESTC in December. In Qatar, group stage fixtures had all set prices of £68.

What Experts Say

But for England's match against Croatia on Wednesday, tickets went on sale for £198, £373 or £523. The small number available to the ESTC was always going to be quickly snapped up. That left everyone else hoping to find a deal on Fifa's official resale site - which charges the buyer an extra 15% on top.

With the Three Lions being one off the most in-demand teams, resale tickets for the group games were in short supply - and they come at greatly inflated prices. Thomas Concannon, who leads the Football Supporters' Association's England fans' group, told Sport in April that many were holding on, hoping that prices would drop. But it has not happened.

On Friday there were 984 tickets listed for the game, now there are just 293. The cheapest resale ticket in category one has remained at around £1,310. But the asking price for lower categories has risen.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.