England fans react during a watch party for the FIFA World Cup Group L soccer match between England and Croatia at The Londoner Pub in Dallas Wednesday, June 17, 2026. England defeated Croatia, 4-2.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
It took $29,000, 5,000 beers, three hours and a swath of England fans on the cusp of their 2026 FIFA World Cup debut to drink a Dallas pub dry Tuesday night.
Miller Lite, Corona, Modelo, Michelob Ultra; you name it, they ordered it, said Charlotte Tate, owner and director of operations for The Londoner Pub at 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane.
The gathering, scheduled to start at 7 p.m., was a last-minute fan meet-up and party ahead of England’s first match against Croatia on Wednesday in the 2026 World Cup. Tate said the organizer, John Gallivan, expected a turnout of 200 people.
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By about 10 p.m., Tate said, they had run out of product, forcing her to close hours early. According to messages between Gallivan and Tate shared with The Dallas Morning News, Gallivan was “fuming.”
He took his frustrations to The Telegraph, a British newspaper, which framed it this way: “England fans thrown out of pub by Dallas police after £30,000 drinking session.”
But pub and police officials disputed his account.
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Police spokesman Corbin Rubinson told The News officers were called to the pub around 10:40 p.m. in response to a large crowd. He said there were no criminal offenses, and once officers ensured nobody was hurt inside, they left the pub but remained in the area.
Tate shared a similar sentiment, explaining customers were even allowed to finish their beers after the pub closed its doors, some staying for at least an hour afterward. Staff, she said, didn’t forcibly remove anyone.
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The pub had more products delivered early Wednesday morning, Tate said, and already scheduled the next delivery in preparation.
The pub has additional locations in Addison and Colleyville. Gallivan, who planned to visit the Addison location Wednesday, changed his mind after police arrived for crowd control.
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Gallivan directed his anger toward the pub’s staff in his texts to Tate, calling their behavior pathetic and blaming them for calling law enforcement because England had too many fans.
“Bollocks,” Gallivan wrote in response to Tate saying the pub had to close. “I’m going to destroy your reputation.”
The News reached out to Gallivan but didn’t immediately hear back.
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About 30 minutes after the match began Wednesday afternoon, people stood in a line on the stairs leading up to the Dallas pub dressed in support of their teams. They donned jerseys, hats, backpacks, scarves – all in shades of navy, blue and red – representing the two countries playing. Some even carried England flags.
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Other soccer fans wore shirts with “Team USA” stamped on them and Cristiano Ronaldo jerseys.
Taped to the rustic wooden door leading into the pub, a sign read: “Maximum capacity indoors: 245. Maximum capacity outdoors: 130.” Tate did not immediately respond about whether the sign was placed there before or after Tuesday’s meet-up.
Bouncers outfitted in black flanked the pub’s doors, which were decorated with ornate glass lanterns that read “PUB” in light blue letters. The fans who made it onto the patio huddled under umbrellas, where speakers blasted game updates.
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England scored their first goal off a penalty kick just 12 minutes into the game; Croatia got their first goal just minutes after.
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Anytime a play was made, the crowd yelled, “oohhhhhh.” A header that put England back in the lead warranted cheers, claps and whistles that echoed throughout the shopping complex the pub is located in.
Around 4 p.m. two kegs were pushed off an elevator on dollies and toward the pub’s entrance.
Video taken by The News after the game shows TVs being shut off and fans being asked to leave at the order of a Dallas Fire-Rescue fire marshal. A Dallas police officer at the pub told The News it was being shut down because it was over capacity.
“They won’t let us reopen, even with everyone cleared out, until tomorrow,” Tate said. “Largely, I’m sure, due to last night.”
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England took home a win against Croatia with a 4-2 score.