Is anyone else feeling the sudden realization of “I can’t believe summer is already over?!” While we tend to ask some version of that question every year, especially as a time-wasting tactic in corporate America with awkward co-workers when you’re the first two to join the Zoom meeting, 2026 has felt exceptionally quick in how time (and life) has moved.
As we head into mid-September, starting the unofficial wind-down of summer, I know there were loads of epic moments, trips, and memories that were built, so I would be remiss if I didn’t recap them here before the details of said memories have faded.
Coming right out of the Knicks madness in NYC, it was time to lean heavily into the 2026 Fifa World Cup. The electric vibes across New York, and the rest of North America were embraced by football lovers and newcomers alike, and it was fun to see everyone rally around their teams, head to bars at all hours of the day, and light money on fire when necessary. Which brings me to my personal World Cup experience where the theme was simple: England and Luck.
I was fortunate enough to attend all three of England’s group stage matches without having to enter the lottery or pay secondary market pricing. Once again, friendship is undefeated.
Match 1: England v. Croatia - Dallas (read: Arlington, TX)
When South Africa hosted the World Cup in 2010, I was living in Hartford, CT, with my buddy Tim Lougee. We had been roommates and co-workers for nearly a year, and while he was a fan of soccer (or at least playing Fifa on PS2), it all picked up a notch watching me follow Arsenal throughout the season, and then seeing USA and England drawn in the same group for the World Cup that year.
My dad came to visit during that week in 2010 and watched the match with us in our apartment, resulting in a disappointing (for England) 1-1 draw.
Little did I know, that would set the foundation for Tim following USA Soccer closely for the next 16 years, becoming a Real Salt Lake season ticket holder, and then entering the lottery for tickets to the 2026 World Cup. He and his friend Scott won tickets to two matches in Dallas, and thanks to their (and their wives’) generosity, they offered me to join them for the England/Croatia game at AT&T Stadium, knowing my dad was born in London and was a lifelong England fan.
I surprised my dad with the tickets for Christmas, and on June 16, we were flying to Dallas to meet up for a bucket list moment. I landed from NYC and Dave from Winnipeg. We checked into our hotel and got up the next morning to meet Tim and Scott ahead of the match.
Needless to say, the atmosphere lived up to the hype. We got to the stadium very early, soaked in all the FIFA festivities in the 95 degree Texas heat, then entered the magnificent stadium with its perfectly comfortable air conditioning. As the anticipation grew towards kickoff, so did the crowds, and so did the noise. To experience the England chants during a major tournament like that is indescribable. Tens of thousands of die-hard fans, most of whom have traveled overseas to be there, all singing in unison is incredibly powerful.
After a bit of a rocky first half, we were ultimately treated to six goals, a comfortable 4-2 England victory to kickoff their campaign, and a celebratory sing along to “Hey Jude” and “Wonderwall”.
While the England match was the anchor to the Dallas trip, we tacked on a couple rounds of golf, some great restaurants and bars (shout-out Katy House Ice Trail), some Texas BBQ, and a sightseeing visit to the Sixth Floor Museum at the Texas School Book Depository to see what this grassy knoll was all about.
Match 2: England v. Ghana - Boston (read: Foxborough, MA)
When I talk about being lucky, this may be the best example. One day before leaving for Dallas, having planned that for six months, I received a text message from Martyn Ryan. A friend from my Toronto days, and a proper Englishman and English football fanatic, he was making the trip to the US to visit his wife Crystal (also a good friend) who was working the tournament for FIFA. She was able to secure some tickets to the England matches in Boston and NYC for Martyn who planned to take his brother. When his brother’s travel plans fell through, he messaged me on June 15 to see if I was interested in joining him in Boston for the Ghana match on June 23.
I’m sure I would have accepted the offer regardless, since Boston is only a 3.5 hour train from NYC, but it worked out even better that I was already scheduled to be in the Boston area that day for a corporate golf tournament! I took Martyn up on his gracious offer, and met him 8 days later in Foxborough, Massachussetts. The game was a bit of a dud, with rain sprinkling throughout and a 0-0 final, but the vibes were still electric.
Catching up with Martyn, soaking in the atmosphere before and after the match, and then getting a bonus night at my friends’ house near the stadium was so much fun and a 24-hour period I won’t soon forget.
Match 3: England v. Panama - New York City (read: East Rutherford, New Jersey)
On April 30 of this year, I found out from another absolute legend, Dave Mowat, that he had won four lottery tickets to England’s group stage match in NYC and wanted me to have one of the tickets. Twist my arm.
Dave’s wife Leonie, and her brother Frank, joined me at Columbus Circle on June 27 and we hopped on a shuttle bus through the Lincoln Tunnel and over to New Jersey just as the rain started to pour. We walked 20 minutes from the bus drop-off, through the rain, across the vast landscapes of parking spaces that were blocked off for the tournament, and into the American Dream mall. Surprisingly, this was an incredible atmosphere filled with England fans, flags, songs, and dances. We united at the food court with Dave who had flown in from Toronto that morning, and we were ready to take on the match and beverages!
We couldn’t ask for much more from this match as strikes from Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane secured a 2-0 win for England, and kicked off more singing to Oasis and The Beatles.
We hung out in the parking lot for a while, dancing with strangers, enjoying some beers, and soaking in this once in a lifetime opportunity. We also linked back up with Martyn who was also at that match, and ended up taking our bus back to the city, then the subway to the Upper West Side, and some final bites and sips at my local, Westland Roe.
Needless to say, it was a long Saturday, but the value of friendship was on full display and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. There’s been a lot of chatter online that Summer 2026 in New York City was one for the books, and while I only have an 8-year sample size, I couldn’t agree more.
Thanks for reading,
Mike