An England football superfan has made the extraordinary decision to sell his £350,000 house to fund a seven-week trip to the World Cup this summer, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Andy Milne, aged 62, has become a familiar face at England matches after a photo of him wearing a Three Lions shirt and holding a replica Jules Rimet trophy at the 2022 Qatar World Cup went viral online.
From Spain 1982 to a Tenth World Cup Adventure
Milne, a retired teacher now residing in Thailand, is preparing for his tenth World Cup following the England team. His first tournament was in Spain in 1982 when he was just 19 years old, an experience marred by having all his belongings stolen. Since then, he has attended eight men's World Cups and the Women's World Cup in Australia in 2023, where Sarina Wiegman's Lionesses reached the final.
Often compared to former England manager Steve McLaren in appearance, Milne has listed his second home in Northwich, Cheshire, for sale to cover the costs of the tri-country tournament. "I definitely want to see the whole tournament," Milne told the Mirror. "I am going to the US on June 3 and will be there for seven weeks, so it will cost quite a lot of money."
Funding the Dream Through Property Sale
He explained that the previous tournament in Qatar was a personal gift to himself, funded by years of savings. "We have had a second home for 27 years, so it felt like the right time to cash in," Milne added. His dedication has earned him a "top capper" status with the official England supporters' travel club, granting him access to tickets for every England group game in the US and guaranteed tickets through to the final.
Milne plans to be present for England's opening match against Croatia on June 17 and intends to embark on a road trip to Elvis Presley's former home, Graceland, during his stay. However, like many fans, he anticipates high expenses, with FIFA facing criticism over its ticket pricing strategy. On unofficial secondary markets, the cheapest tickets for England and Scotland's group games are already listed at over £450.
Navigating High Costs and Travel Logistics
The former head of science at Grange School in Northwich shared his cost-saving strategies: "I always try to do things cheaply if I can. I will couch surf where possible; I am lucky to have friends in Mexico, Dallas, and Vancouver. Travel costs are expensive; I bought international flights early because you can change them even if departure times change by 10 minutes."
Fans have accused FIFA of a "monumental betrayal" after tickets went on general sale in December, with prices ranging from £105 for the cheapest group games to £6,523 for the final. Despite these challenges, Milne's unwavering commitment highlights the lengths some supporters will go to follow their national team on the global stage.
