England fans pepper-sprayed in Benidorm while watching World Cup in their shirts

A group of British tourists watching the World Cup in Benidorm say they were pepper-sprayed by strangers who targeted them for wearing England shirts, in an incident that has gone viral on TikTok.

Natalie Brookfield posted footage showing herself and her friends with red, stinging eyes shortly after the alleged attack at the popular Spanish resort. In text overlaid on the clip, she wrote: “Three girls and two guys pepper sprayed us for no reason. To anyone in Benidorm wearing England shirts, stay alert. We weren’t the only ones this happened to.”

The video has since been viewed more than 50,000 times and attracted over 1,000 comments. Reactions ranged from sympathy to surprise, with many users sharing their own contrasting experiences at the same destination. “I was in Benidorm on Monday. Loads wearing England tops! No problems,” one commenter noted. Another wrote: “It’s a terrible shame. Benidorm was once the party and fun centre.”

One user who said they had visited the resort for more than a decade acknowledged a shift in atmosphere: “Unfortunately, over the past two years, I have seen more of this. I won’t stop going, but I will say don’t let it put you off going back.”

It remains unclear whether Brookfield and her group reported the incident to local authorities.

Benidorm has become an increasingly popular base for British fans during major tournaments. A five-night stay at the resort often costs less than a single match ticket in the host country, and the short flight from the UK to nearby Alicante makes it an accessible alternative to travelling to host cities. Thousands of supporters typically gather in the resort’s bars and fan zones to watch games on large screens throughout the tournament.