10,000 England fans descend on Dallas as Gordon and Rice embrace World Cup opener against Croatia

An estimated 10,000 England supporters are converging on Dallas for the Three Lions’ 2026 World Cup group-stage opener against Croatia on Wednesday, with Barcelona striker Anthony Gordon and Arsenal captain Declan Rice both voicing their anticipation ahead of the tournament’s first major test for Gareth Southgate’s successor.

The England Supporters Travel Club allocated tickets to approximately 3,315 of its members, while a further 7,618 supporters secured seats through FIFA’s official ballot. Thousands of British expatriates are expected to swell those numbers further inside the Dallas stadium, where capacity has been reduced from 80,000 to 70,649 for the tournament. Players’ families — wives, partners, children, and parents — are also in attendance, with the squad’s inner circle having purchased 1,000 tickets for each of England’s group matches.

Gordon, 25, appearing at his first World Cup, said the national anthem moment was what he was most looking forward to. “I can’t wait for that,” he told the FA’s Lions’ Den podcast. “We have had nine or ten days in Miami and there is that real expectation. Now it is about cherishing the memories and trying to make it special.”

Vice-captain Rice, 27, echoed that sentiment. “The first game is the most exciting because you have been waiting for a long time,” he said. “You will look back at some point and think, ‘Wow, I was at that tournament’. You have to enjoy it.”

Among the supporters making the trip are two of England’s most dedicated followers. Robert Didd has attended every England home game since 1986, setting a record of 222 consecutive appearances between 1987 and 2007, and estimates he has spent around £500,000 following the national side across 76 countries. “My first game was in October 1986 and I have been to every single home game in 40 years,” he said. “I would have a bigger house and a few extra bedrooms — but I have been to 76 countries.”

London-based civil servant Garford, 64, is attending his tenth World Cup, having spent around £12,000 on the trip. After the Dallas opener, he plans to travel to Boston by Greyhound bus — a 40-hour journey with three changes costing £135 — passing through Nashville, Memphis, and New York along the way. “It will be a real experience and give me time to think and see parts of America that I would never have seen otherwise,” he said.