England fan gets £10,000 life savings back after taking grandad to World Cup

Jacob Allmendinger spent £10,000 — five years of house deposit savings — to take his 80-year-old grandfather Geoff Golliker to the 2026 World Cup across the United States and Mexico. The 21-year-old from North Ferriby, East Yorkshire, has now had every penny returned after a company was inspired by their story.

Jacob and Geoff attended England’s group-stage fixtures against Panama in Atlanta and DR Congo in New York, before witnessing a historic 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. The pair say they were repeatedly stopped in the street by members of the public who had seen their story go viral online.

US-based online crypto casino Metawin contacted Jacob via social media and pledged to reimburse his £10,000 if England beat Panama by more than two goals. When England won only 2-0, the firm publicly announced on X that the same offer would stand if England defeated DR Congo by any scoreline. Following the 2-1 victory, the money appeared in Jacob’s account.

“I was amazed, it was an incredible gesture really,” Jacob said. “I didn’t quite believe it, to be honest, until I looked at my bank and it was there. I was just in shock.”

Jacob said he plans to keep the money in a savings account while he weighs up his options. “We could go to the European Championships, I could buy a house, anything is possible. It’s just great to have options,” he said. The pair are still travelling, with a quarter-final trip to Miami next on the itinerary.

Reflecting on the Azteca win, Jacob drew a historical parallel: “The Mexico game was a once-in-a-generation game to watch. The parallels to 1966, when we last beat Mexico in the World Cup and then went on to win the whole thing — it kind of gets you giddy for the rest of the trip.”

Jacob told the BBC the public response had been overwhelming. “I think it just resonates with people. I’ve had people reach out who have lost their grandparents and how they wish they’d done something similar. It just makes us cherish this time more, really.”

Geoff, who first took Jacob to Hull City matches when he was a young boy, said the recognition on the road had been a highlight in itself. “When we were in New York, a guy came up to us and said, ‘are you the guys travelling round?’ It was brilliant,” he said. “The Mexican fans were absolutely fantastic — very happy, very boisterous. The atmosphere that’s built up is fantastic.”