England fans flood Dallas for World Cup opener against Croatia in 2026

Between 12,000 and 15,000 England supporters are expected to attend the Three Lions' first World Cup match in Dallas.

England's long-awaited start England’s 2026 World Cup journey finally kicks off Wednesday at Dallas Stadium, six days after the tournament’s opening match. The Three Lions step out against Croatia in the group stage opener, marking the start of their campaign in the United States. Fans have waited longer than most teams for this moment, with the tournament already underway. The anticipation among supporters draping the St George’s Cross across the stands adds to the excitement. ## Uncertain fan turnout numbers The official England Supporters’ Travel Club has sold all 4,022 allocated tickets, but the total number of fans traveling independently remains unclear. Authorities estimate between 12,000 and 15,000 England supporters will attend each group stage game. A total of 89,000 World Cup tickets have been bought by fans from England across all 104 matches, though most will attend multiple fixtures. This count excludes supporters who arrived without confirmed tickets. ## Ticket price controversies and resale struggles Ticket pricing sparked outrage early, with one England fan calling it a betrayal when sales opened to ESTC members in December. For Wednesday’s match, prices stood at £198, £373, or £523, with the cheapest options quickly claimed. Resale tickets on FIFA’s official platform carry an extra 15% fee, and demand for England games left limited availability. Thomas Concannon of the Football Supporters’ Association noted many fans held off hoping for price drops, yet the cheapest resale ticket in category one remained around £1,310. ## Skyrocketing resale costs Prices in lower categories have climbed since April, with a category two ticket rising from £874 to £1,254. A category three ticket jumped from £682 to £1,311. Controversially, tickets originally sold to ESTC members at face value have reappeared at inflated prices labeled as supporter standard and supporter premier categories. As of Tuesday evening, two supporter standard tickets were listed—one at £3,192 pre-fee (total £3,671) and another at £1,178 (£1,355 with fee). ## Disappearing tickets and FA measures Multiple tickets appeared and vanished within 24 hours, making it unclear if sales matched asking prices. Two supporter premier tickets were listed—one at £1,898 (£2,183 with fee) and another at £100 more. To deter reselling of the cheapest £45 supporter entry tickets, the Football Association delayed their release until Monday evening. So far, no supporter entry tickets have surfaced on resale platforms. Some tickets from Croatia’s allocation also appeared in the Croatia end. ## Fans voice frustration over costs Michael from an eight-person group shared their frustration after paying around £850 per ticket each, calling it a lot for a single match. He highlighted steep expenses beyond tickets, noting $20 beers and $30-plus meals, feeling like they were being overcharged. Despite the high costs, he acknowledged the World Cup’s once-in-a-lifetime appeal and hoped future tournaments would return to sensible pricing. Guy and James from Newcastle arrived Saturday only to find their hotel reservation canceled and tickets unavailable. ## Hopes and skepticism from traveling fans James noted they still came to the U.S. despite not securing tickets, planning to visit fan zones and bars with fellow England fans. Guy admitted their chances of obtaining tickets were slim, willing to spend £400 to £500 if possible. Ian expressed doubt about a large England fan presence, comparing it unfavorably to past tournaments like the Euros or South Africa. He lamented that most fans appear priced out and hopes this doesn’t set a precedent for future events.