Many fans dream of seeing their country compete at football’s most prestigious international tournament but has one 62-year-old England superfan taken that dream too far?
Andy Milne has attended every World Cup since his first in Spain in 1982 and says he will be in the United States in seven weeks’ time, following England for the entire tournament through to the final.
The cost? His £350,000 house.
“It is going on the market because I’m selling it to go to the World Cup,” Milne told the Daily Mirror.
“The last tournament in Qatar was just a present to myself—I had been saving for years. I will always try to do it cheaply if I can. Luckily, this time I have friends in Mexico, Dallas and Vancouver.”
The former biology teacher took early retirement in order to attend the entire 2022 World Cup in Qatar. After the tournament, he moved to Thailand, where he now runs a business described as an “escape room but across a whole island.”
Milne’s first experience of a World Cup might have been enough to put many fans off. Travelling to Spain in 1982 with little more than a camping kit, he told the Daily Mail that his tent and rucksack were stolen just two hours after arriving.
A Manchester United supporter, Milne later went viral after being pictured with the World Cup Trophy during England’s 3-0 victory over Senegal.
Social media users compared him to a “budget Steve McClaren” and dubbed him the “most British-looking man ever” and since that moment, Milne admits he can barely go anywhere without being recognised.
I can vouch for that myself, having spotted him at the PDC World Darts Championship last December, where fans queued up to take photos with one of England’s most dedicated supporters, including me.
So this brings up the question what would you sell for a chance to see your country play at the 2026 World Cup?
