Hundreds of fans from England disregarded police directives in the United States, purchasing over 5,000 beers at a Texas pub in anticipation of the Three Lions’ upcoming World Cup match against Croatia.
Supporters flocked to the Londoner Pub in Dallas sporting costumes and St George’s flags, enticed by the pub’s extended hours.
Nevertheless, fans were instructed to vacate by bar personnel and two police officers just before 10pm due to the venue reaching full capacity with only two security guards on duty.
Despite the pub being cleared eventually, numerous fans lingered on the balcony outside for several more hours.
A total of 2,352 beer bottles were sold at the Londoner that night, with over 5,000 beers consumed overall, resulting in the pub earning more than £30,000.
As the supporters persisted, multiple Dallas Police Department vehicles lined the road outside the pub for approximately 20 minutes, amid loud chants from the English fans.
Subsequently, all police vehicles relocated to a nearby area out of sight.
Fans engaged in kicking a football around on the road and balcony for about an hour, occasionally landing the ball on nearby cars’ hoods.
A small group was observed dropping plants off the balcony’s edge.
At the conclusion of the evening, many England fans stayed behind to assist the bar staff in cleaning up the mess from the night’s events.
The gathering commenced with fans displaying a sea of St George’s flags, donning elaborate outfits, and singing popular chants under the scorching Dallas sun.
Event organizer John Gallivan, 39, from Bristol, expressed the challenge of fans finding each other in the vast expanse of Texas compared to previous European tournaments.
Mr. Gallivan shared, “We’ve been here since 4pm and it’s been grand. I feel sorry for the bar staff,” mentioning the significant growth of the event beyond his expectations after promoting it on social media.
Thomas Tuchel’s team will kick off their campaign at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium against Croatia tonight, carrying the hopes of the nation on their shoulders.