The wives and girlfriends of England's national football team, often referred to as WAGs, celebrated a significant victory over Panama in New York. The team's 2-0 win secured their position at the top of their World Cup group, advancing them to the knockout stages.
Among those in attendance at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey were Megan Pickford, wife of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and Ellie Watkins. Megan Pickford was seen with her children, who wore "Daddy" shirts and homemade posters supporting their father. Declan Rice's girlfriend, Lauren Fryer, was also present with their son, Jude, aged 3.
Jude Bellingham, whose girlfriend Ashlyn Castro was also celebrating, emerged as a key player in the match. Bellingham scored England's first goal in the 61st minute, assisted by Bukayo Saka, and later set up Harry Kane's goal. Castro shared a video of Bellingham acknowledging the crowd's applause.
Following the game, Megan Pickford shared photos of her daughter with Jordan Pickford, who maintained a clean sheet. Earlier, she had posted a picture of her husband in Times Square, expressing her support.
The match, played amid rain, offered photo opportunities for some WAGs, including Ellie Watkins, who was seen wearing a raincoat. There had been moments of tension during the game when the score remained goalless for an hour.
Prior to the Panama match, England had defeated Croatia 4-2. Megan Pickford had posted photos on Instagram of herself and her children, Arlo, seven, and Ostara, three, in England shirts before the game. Ostara was pictured in a sparkly "Daddy" shirt.
Ellie Watkins had previously shared an anecdote about forgetting essential items for a previous game in Boston, describing it as a "nightmare." She later posted on social media that she had "got the goods" after a bra shopping trip.
Other notable WAGs in New York included Olivia, wife of John Stones, and Tolami Benson, girlfriend of Bukayo Saka. Some of the partners, including Ashlyn Castro, visited the trendy New York nightclub Somewhere Nowhere.
Opting to stay in New York rather than return to Florida between games, the WAGs had a short turnaround. Megan Pickford was seen shopping in Manhattan, purchasing a Louis Vuitton wallet decorated with a football theme. She also shared images of visits to Christian Dior and a New York corn dog snack with the children.
Thousands of England fans traveled to New York for the match, with flights from the UK reportedly sold out. The game kicked off at 5 p.m. local time, which was 10 p.m. in England.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer also acknowledged England's qualification for the knockout stages via X, stating, "Yes England! Qualified into the knockout stages."