Newlyweds swap honeymoon beach for Dallas to cheer England at World Cup 2026

Lauren and James Portwood got married at Makeney Hall in Derbyshire on June 3 and wasted little time choosing their honeymoon destination: Dallas, Texas, where England opened their 2026 World Cup campaign.

The couple from West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire — both Leicester City supporters — have been planning the trip since James proposed in 2024. “England winning today would be the best wedding present ever,” Lauren, 41, said ahead of the match. James, 36, added: “It’s going to be a very special few days.”

This is James’s third World Cup but Lauren’s first, and the pair secured their tickets at face value. Crucially, they also hold guaranteed seats for the final should England reach it. “If England get to the final we’ve actually got guaranteed tickets so we will definitely be coming back if they go all the way,” James said.

After the match, the couple — who have four children between them, aged three to 17 — plan to continue their honeymoon in Las Vegas before returning home. “Ever since we met in 2016 we always said we would go to America,” James said. Lauren joked: “It was a tactical decision.”

The Portwoods are among an estimated 10,000 travelling England supporters who made the trip across the Atlantic for the fixture at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium. FIFA officials believe a further 15,000 or so British expatriates have also snapped up tickets, with organisers hoping the venue will take on something of a Wembley atmosphere.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer added his voice to the pre-match chorus, saying: “Tonight, we can dare to dream again because we have a brilliant Three Lions squad, packed with all the talent and experience to get that second star on the shirt. Like every England fan, I’ll be roaring on Thomas Tuchel, Harry Kane and the entire England squad.”