England are just three games away from ending 60 years of hurt and lifting the World Cup for a second time – and if you want to get in on the action last-minute, you can fly to all three potential venues direct from Manchester Airport.
Thomas Tuchel’s men face off against Erling Haaland and Norway this weekend, before a potential semi-final against either Argentina or Switzerland next Wednesday, 15 July. If they were to lose that game, they’d take part in a third or fourth place playoff on Saturday 18 July – but if they emerged victorious, they’d find themselves in a World Cup Final for the first time since 1966 on Sunday 19 July.
The next week and a half could yet be one of the most memorable in England fans’ lifetimes – and there’s some good news for those in our region thinking of making a last-minute dash to be part of the action. Manchester Airport is the only hub in the UK outside London to offer direct flights to all three potential venues that England could play at – and there are still seats available.
Here we look at the permutations on the route to the final – and how you can get to each game from Manchester, if you want to soak up the atmosphere.
Quarter Final – Florida – Saturday 11 July
Fly direct from Manchester to Orlando with Virgin Atlantic tomorrow from £1,019 per person one-way.*
The bookies make England slight favourites to overcome Norway on Saturday evening – which would set up Harry Kane and his colleagues for two more matches before the tournament is out, whatever happens.
The game will be played at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida – home of NFL franchise the Miami Dolphins. Seats are still available on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Manchester to another Floridian city, Orlando, tomorrow afternoon – from where you could hire a car and enjoy a road trip through the Sunshine State, watching England at the end of it.
A four-hour route would take you via Cape Canaveral, launch site for man’s first trip to the moon in 1969; Palm Beach – where Donald Trump has his winter residence at Mar-a-Lago; and the state’s famous Everglades.
Semi Final – Atlanta – Wednesday 15 July
Fly direct from Manchester to Atlanta with Virgin Atlantic on 12 July from £1,247 per person one-way.*
If they find a way past Norway, England will come up against either Lionel Messi’s Argentina or Switzerland, a side they beat at Euro 2024. The game will take place at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday next week.
At the time of writing, tickets are still available on Virgin Atlantic’s flights from Manchester to Atlanta on every day between now and the game. The cheapest flight available is on Saturday, at £1,187 per person one-way* but would mean missing the quarter final. A better option for Three Lions fans is to take the flight on Sunday instead – at just £60 more – and enjoy two full days in Atlanta before the big game. The city’s World Cup fan festival is centred on the Centennial Olympic Park and will be a hive of activity – particularly if Argentina get to the semi-final, with a large Latin American population in the city.
Third / Fourth Place Playoff – Florida – Saturday 18 July
Fly direct from Manchester to Orlando with Virgin Atlantic on 14 July from £817 per person one-way.*
If they should beat Norway but fall to either Argentina or Switzerland, it’ll be back to Miami for a playoff game against the other losing semi-finalist to decide who takes third place. England fans might not really want to consider this right now – but with less interest in this game than in the final, you might even have an opportunity to nab a match ticket last-minute at a reasonable price and see Thomas Tuchel’s team in the flesh.
A flight next Tuesday would also let you take in England’s potential semi-final on the Wednesday – and the World Cup final – at Miami’s fan festival in Bayfront Park, a short distance from the city’s stunning South Beach.
Final – New York / New Jersey – Sunday 19 July
Fly direct from Manchester to New York with Virgin Atlantic on 16 July from £651 per person one-way.*
The cavernous MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, facing the famous skyline of Manhattan across the Hudson River, will host the World Cup Final a week on Sunday. By this point, the race will have been run for 46 of the 48 teams who contested this expanded tournament – and if they win their next two games, England will be one of the final two teams standing.
You can still get to New York from Manchester in time for the final with Virgin Atlantic from as little as £651 per person one-way* and be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience – where special memories will be made even if England don’t contest the final. It’s the perfect excuse to check out the Big Apple’s iconic sites, too – from the Statue of Liberty to the Empire State Building and the Rockefeller Center, which coincidentally hosts New York’s World Cup fan festival. Regardless of where in the city you watch the game, the atmosphere is sure to be unforgettable.
*Prices quoted are available when booking directly through the relevant airline’s website from Manchester to the destination specified, on the date specified, and are accurate at the time of publication. Optional extras like hold luggage and seat selection may not be included.
