Beers were flung and songs were sung as thousands of fans gathered in Manchester to cheer on England during their first World Cup game of 2026.
Celebrations in Manchester City Centre
England fans erupted in cheers when the final whistle confirmed the Three Lions' 4-2 victory against Croatia in Houston. Beers flew across the room, strangers embraced, and supporters sang the national anthem as the win was made official.
More than 2,000 people packed into Freight Island, opposite Piccadilly Station, for the 'We Are Football festival', which claims to be the biggest fanzone of its kind in Europe.
Fans Gather Early for the Match
Fans decked out in England gear started gathering from 6pm for the 9pm kick-off. The shouts and cheers that rang out made it seem as though England had won the whole tournament, not just their first group stage game.
The match was far from boring, with the England squad keeping fans on their toes throughout. By the time Rashford scored the fourth goal in the 85th minute, fans knew the result was secure.
Post-Match Celebrations
Even before the final whistle, fans were chanting and jumping up and down. When the game ended, Sweet Caroline and Mr Brightside blared from the speakers.
Among the fans was 35-year-old Jess Bellamy, who came down on her birthday to watch the game with her partner Joe Hamilton. She said: 'We try our best to follow England but we've got two kids so it can be a little hard, especially with the funny times in this tournament. But we've watched as many games as we can.'
'I'm glad it's a few days into it before England has played because the excitement has really built. We're very excited. I'm off work tomorrow and whether we get a win or not, it's England's first game so it's still very exciting.'
'We're getting married next year so this will be our last big tournament before then. We're hoping to go to the next one. All the next major tournaments are in Europe so it's a bit easier than going to America.'
England's second game of the tournament will be against Ghana on June 23.
