England superfan spent £6,689 on World Cup trip but flew home before Mexico thriller

Sammie Bell saved for years and worked up to three jobs to fund a £6,689 trip to World Cup 2026 in the United States — but the 30-year-old from Stevenage, Hertfordshire, had to fly home before the knockout rounds, missing England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico in the round of 16.

Bell spent 25 days travelling through six states and ten cities, attending two pre-tournament friendlies in Florida and all three of England’s group-stage matches. When her trip ended last week, she watched the Mexico game from a pub in Stevenage, more than 5,000 miles from the action.

“Not going to lie, watching England from the pub just doesn’t hit the same,” Bell said after the game. “First England game I have missed in years. Still hoping I can somehow make it back out.”

The Mexico match — which eventually kicked off at 2am local time — saw Jude Bellingham score twice and Harry Kane add another, though England defender Jarell Quansah was sent off during the contest. The win put England into the quarter-finals, where they face Norway on Saturday.

The knockout round exit from Bell’s itinerary marks the first England games she has missed in six years. Despite the disappointment, she is now exploring the possibility of flying back to the United States for the Norway tie.

Bell tracked every expense through Revolut and kept accommodation costs down by staying in Airbnbs for most of the trip. Bargain transatlantic flights booked using Amex points helped, with internal US flights costing just £272. The total outlay still reached £6,689 — every penny of which, she says, came from disciplined saving.

“Every penny of this trip came from saving and working between two and three jobs over the last couple of years,” Bell said. “Following England at a World Cup had always been a dream of mine and it was worth every penny.”

The one regret she cited was not purchasing category-three knockout-stage tickets back in February. “At the time, committing to every possible game just wasn’t realistic with the overall cost of the trip,” she explained.

Beyond the football, Bell’s US adventure included a visit to the NASA space centre and Busch Gardens, as well as catching a darts event. Beer prices proved a notable drain — pints ranged from £3.75 to £16.50 — and of the £1,800 in cash she withdrew during the trip, she returned home with just £4.50.