England's "WAGs" and children celebrated the Three Lions' World Cup victory with supportive signs and embraces following the team's 2-0 win against Panama at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The families were present in the stands throughout the match, which saw players later join them after securing their place in the knockout stages.
Jordan Pickford's wife, Megan Pickford, was among those showing strong support, with their children wearing "Daddy" shirts and holding homemade "love you dad" posters. Following the game, an image shared by Ms. Pickford showed the goalkeeper cuddling their daughter, captioned "Back with her hero." Pickford maintained a clean sheet during the match, with Panama having a goal disallowed for offside in extra time.
Declan Rice's girlfriend, Lauren Fryer, also attended with their son Jude, aged three. Photos captured Rice smiling and interacting with his son after the game. The victory was particularly significant for Jude Bellingham, whose girlfriend Ashlyn Castro celebrated his performance as the "hero of the game." Bellingham scored the opening goal in the 61st minute, assisted by Bukayo Saka, and later set up Harry Kane's goal for England's second.
Prior to the match, Megan Pickford had posted a photo of her husband in Times Square. The game itself was played in rainy conditions, but families like Ellie Watkins, wife of Ollie Watkins, still found photo opportunities.
Despite early concerns with the score remaining goalless for an hour, England's eventual 2-0 win secured their top spot in the group. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also acknowledged the victory, posting on X: "Yes England! Qualified into the knockout stages."
The families stayed in New York between matches, opting not to return to their Florida base due to the short turnaround. Megan Pickford was seen shopping in Manhattan, purchasing a Louis Vuitton wallet described as having a "dynamic touch" and decorated with a football theme. She also shared photos from visits to Christian Dior and a New York corn dog stand with her children.
Ellie Watkins had a humorous wardrobe situation earlier in the week, having forgotten to pack underwear for the Ghana game in Boston. This led to a change in her planned outfit for that match. Upon arriving in New York, she humorously posted an update indicating she had "got the goods."
Other notable attendees included John Stones's wife Olivia, Bukayo Saka's girlfriend Tolami Benson, and Bellingham's girlfriend Ashlyn Castro, who reportedly visited the New York nightclub Somewhere Nowhere. The team's next match is scheduled against DR Congo the following Wednesday. Thousands of England fans also traveled to New York for the game, with flights from the UK reportedly sold out.