'Gutted' Prince William Reacts After England’s World Cup Exit Ends His US Trip Hopes
There was only one thing that could force Prince William to cross the pond, but the hope has met a heartbreaking end.
Wednesday was a rather heartbreaking day for soccer fans in the UK, as England crashed out of the FIFA World Cup after losing the semi-finals against Argentina. The 2-1 loss not only broke the Three Lions’ hopes of winning their second World Cup, but also ended the prospect of Prince William travelling to the US to see them play in the finals.
Even before the coveted tournament began, reports had emerged suggesting that neither he nor Kate Middleton would be crossing the pond to watch the games, and the only thing that would force the Prince of Wales to make the journey would be England reaching the finals. And William himself confirmed this when he appeared on Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce’s podcast, The New Heights Show, recently. He claimed he would 'definitely' go to the US if the national team is in the finals. As per Nine.com.au, Buckingham Palace also told Politico, “The Prince of Wales will only attend the World Cup if England make it to the final.”
The bar for the English team was already high, given the nature of the FIFA World Cup, but William certainly raised the stakes for them. However, the team fell just one step short of that challenge. And as the patron of the Football Association and an avid soccer fan himself, the Prince of Wales was clearly 'gutted' by the loss. He shared his feelings and appreciation for the team on an Instagram story, writing, “Gutted. England, you gave it everything, and we are all so proud of you. Thank you to everyone on and off the pitch for an incredible tournament. The fight and belief you have shown has inspired us all. The most complete England team in a tournament. Hold your heads high.”
When William appeared on New Heights, he was asked what he would consider a successful World Cup, and the royal answered, “I think winning it.” He was also appreciative of England manager Thomas Tuchel’s approach. “Thomas, I think, prefers to go a bit more out there - and if we lose, we lose playing the way we want to play. And if you're going to score four goals, we'll score five. And I think that's a really good attitude,” the prince said via the BBC.
Apart from the British team, William is a passionate supporter of Aston Villa, and the club won the 2026 UEFA Europa League final this year against SC Freiburg in Istanbul. The Prince of Wales attended the match and was seen celebrating the win emotionally. He even wore the team colors when he visited Cornwall the next day on official royal duty. Considering the club’s season this year, the Prince of Wales might have enjoyed a rather good year as a die-hard soccer fan, up until Wednesday.
The English men’s soccer team has reached the FIFA World Cup finals only once in 1966, and won 4-2 against Germany that year. In 2022, the team had bowed out of the tournament after losing to France in the quarter-finals.
