England fans have been spotted in New York City's Times Square, flooding the Big Apple ahead of the crucial World Cup clash against Panama. Tens of thousands of supporters are expected to be in New York by Friday, with up to 25,000 inside the stadium in New Jersey and the rest packing FanFests and bars.
Fans Arrive in Numbers
Supporters travelled down from the previous England game in Boston by plane, train, car, and bus. At the Port Authority bus terminal, and both Penn and Grand Central stations, England fans were arriving in numbers. Some have bought tickets to watch Luke Littler and Luke Humphries in a darts tournament at Madison Square Garden. The pair are expected to head out of Manhattan to watch Thomas Tuchel’s team play.
Fan Stories from the Big Apple
At the popular “Football Factory” pub, located right underneath the Empire State Building, fans gathered to watch other World Cup matches on TV. Mark Harrison, 63, from Bedford, said: “I’ve got a ticket for the game. I’m staying with a mate who lives in Connecticut so I’ve got no extra hotel costs. I’m in and out for this game but very much looking forward to it. I really hope we win so we top the group. I know we then potentially meet Mexico and Brazil before the semi-finals but we can beat both of them on our day.”
Mark Trigg, 52, from Derby, has been to the friendlies in Florida, the victory over Croatia in Dallas, and the 0-0 draw with Ghana in Foxborough. His arrival in New York with fellow Derby fan Garford Beck, 64, from London, and Portsmouth fans Ian Dendy, 56, and Ian Holland, 73, was delayed when their coach broke down. They are on an epic World Cup adventure across America, having already visited Miami and Tampa for the friendlies. Chef Mark said: "It has been a lot of travelling around but we have had a really good time and it has been interesting to see so much of America. We flew between venues for the first two matches but the coach broke down on the way from Boston, so a four-hour journey turned into seven hours. I dread to think how much the trip has cost - I am trying not to think about it. But I want to stay as long as England are here and we have tickets for all the knock out rounds."
Match Details and Weather
Thomas Tuchel and his squad fly down from their Kansas City base on Friday. Weather for the match is expected to be around 23°C, which is cool for this time of the year. The match will be played at the MetLife venue, named the New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup. England fan Ian Henderson, 60, originally from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear and now living in Princeton, New Jersey, said the Three Lions supporters would enjoy the Big Apple. He said the stadium will provide a great atmosphere, as it was the most expensive ever built at £1 billion when it opened in 2010. "They said the Dallas stadium had a hole in the roof which was called 'God's peephole' so that God could watch his favourite team play," said Ian, a retired medical researcher and Newcastle Utd fan. "This one is home to the New York Giants even though it is in New Jersey, and the New York Jets also use it. With a capacity of 87,000, it is going to be great for England fans."
What a Win Would Mean
If England win, they will top their group and know exactly their potential route to the final, which will be played in the same stadium as tomorrow’s match.
