Thousands of England supporters have taken over Times Square in New York City ahead of the crucial World Cup match against Panama on Saturday. The game will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, just across the state border from New York.
Tens of thousands of fans are expected to be in New York by Friday, with up to 25,000 inside the stadium and the rest filling FanFests and bars across the city. Some supporters have also bought tickets to watch darts stars Luke Littler and Luke Humphries at Madison Square Garden. Littler, a Manchester United fanatic, and Humphries, a Leeds United supporter, are expected to attend the England game as well.
Fans Travel from Previous Match in Boston
England manager Thomas Tuchel and his squad will fly from their Kansas City base to New York on Friday. The weather forecast for matchday is around 23°C, cooler than usual for this time of year. Fans traveled from the previous England game in Boston by plane, train, car, and bus, arriving in numbers at the Port Authority bus terminal and Penn and Grand Central stations.
At the popular "Football Factory" pub under the Empire State Building, fans gathered to watch other World Cup matches. 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 really hope we win so we top the group."
Fans Share Their World Cup Adventure
Mark Trigg, 52, from Derby, has attended 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. Chef Mark said: "It has been a lot of travelling around but we have had a really good time. The coach broke down on the way from Boston, so a four-hour journey turned into seven hours."
England fan Ian Henderson, 60, originally from Gateshead and now living in Princeton, New Jersey, said the Three Lions supporters would enjoy the Big Apple. He noted that the MetLife Stadium, renamed the New York New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup, will provide a great atmosphere. With a capacity of 87,000, it was the most expensive ever built at £1 billion when it opened in 2010.
Implications of a Win
If England win, they will top their group and know their potential route to the final, which will be played in the same stadium as Saturday's match. More than 20,000 England fans are expected at the Panama tie, with many more watching from fan zones across New York.
