England World Cup 2026 fan guide: Stadiums, travel tips, where to stay, kickoff times

England fans are gearing up for what they hope will be one of the best summers of their lives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada.

While the current political climate across the pond has caused thousands of fans to turn their backs on the tournament, there is still expected to be a large English contingent at the World Cup as Thomas Tuchel's side looks to end 60 years of hurt.

If you are going to the World Cup as an England fan, our guide below has all the information you need to ensure the trip is an enjoyable one, regardless of the football.

England World Cup stadiums

Although England are expected to go deep into the tournament, let's not get ahead of ourselves. First and foremost, we are going to look at the stadiums they are definitely going to visit this summer during the group stages of the World Cup.

Unlike some countries at the tournament, England are not going to be based in a single state for even two of their matches. They will travel to Texas, Massachusetts and New Jersey for their group matches.

AT&T Stadium

England's first match of the World Cup, a clash with Croatia, will take place at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Fans can expect scorching temperatures here in June, but thankfully, the stadium is air-conditioned.

The stadium is one of the most technologically advanced sports arenas in the world, with its standout feature being the giant HD screens that hang from its roof.

Gillette Stadium

England's second group match will be against Ghana at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The stadium will feel more like an authentic football stadium compared to the AT&T Stadium, and temperatures won't be as high.

MetLife Stadium

England's final group game will take place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Here, the Three Lions will face Panama, in what could be a get out of jail free card if things go badly in the opening two matches. This is considered one of the best stadiums in the world and will allow England fans some time in the neighbouring New York City pre- and post-match.

England will be hoping that this will be just their first, rather than final, visit to the MetLife Stadium, as this is where the World Cup final will be played on Sunday, 19 July.

England v Croatia World Cup current ticket resale prices on Fifa's official platform. 1/2

CAT 4
Face: £45.60
Asking price: £1,292
Fifa fee: £193.80 (x2)
Total: £1,485.80

CAT 3
Face: £133
Asking price: £1,292
Fifa fee: £459.90 (x2)
Total: £1,485.80

*seller also pays same fee pic.twitter.com/7n0kvX96q4

— Dale Johnson (@DaleJohnsonBBC) April 3, 2026

Host cities – travel tips

Driving

For England fans who are going to follow the team all over the USA (and potentially Canada and Mexico, too), travelling from state to state is going to be expensive, particularly as flight prices have gone through the roof.

Driving could therefore be the best option, particularly if you are in a large group and can share the load. There is already talk of England fans hiring campervans for the tournament, and they will be needed for those planning on making the 2,000-mile trip from Texas to Massachusetts between games one and two.

Thankfully, New Jersey and Massachusetts are much closer together, with “just” 280 miles separating the two states.

Flying

If you are going to swallow the cost of flying to each match, then the following major airports are all nearby to each stadium listed above:

• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport – 12 miles from AT&T Stadium
• Boston Logan Airport – 30 miles from Gillette Stadium
• Newark Liberty International Airport – 12 miles from the MetLife Stadium

There are direct flights available from Dallas/Fort Worth to Boston Logan and Boston Logan to Newark Liberty, so this is certainly a viable option and probably something we would recommend if you are travelling on your own or in a small group, especially in between the first two matches. That drive from Texas to Massachusetts is no joke.

Where to stay

If you have tickets for all of England's matches at the tournament, then basing yourself in one place for the tournament just isn't going to work, unless you have bucket loads of money or have sold your house pre-tournament.

Instead, you are going to have to book cheap hotels or even hostels in each place you visit.

However, if you are planning on skipping the match against Croatia, then staying in New York, at least until the end of the group stages, is a viable option. The Big Apple is located a 30-minute drive away from the MetLife Stadium and a 3.5hr drive away from the Gillette Stadium. In terms of travel times in the USA, this is okay.

While New York is the most ‘glamorous' spot to stay if you are going to matches two and three, there is somewhere more convenient and cheaper. Bridgeport, Connecticut, is located around two hours from Gillette Stadium and one hour from MetLife Stadium.

Knockout stages

England's route from the group stages is less clear, as we do not know whether they will ultimately finish in their group. If they finish top, their route to the final will be as follows:

• Round of 32: July 1 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
• Round of 16: July 5 – Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
• Quarter-final: July 11 – Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
• Semi-final: July 15 – Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta

If they finish as group runners-up, their route will be as follows:

• Round of 32: July 2 – BMO Field, Toronto
• Round of 16: July 6 – AT&T Stadium, Dallas
• Quarter-final: July 10 – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles
• Semi-final: July 14 – AT&T Stadium, Dallas

Unless you can find free cancellation hotels or apartments, we wouldn't recommend booking any accommodation for the knockout stages until it is confirmed where England will be playing and when.

Kick-off times

The local kick-off times for all three of England's group stage matches at the FIFA World Cup are as follows:

• England vs Croatia – 3pm
• England vs Ghana – 4pm
• England vs Panama – 5pm