Welsh fans back England for World Cup glory - but Northern Irish fans take different view

• A Coral survey has found that 56% of Welsh fans will be supporting England at the World Cup

• The figure is significantly higher than Northern Ireland fans, many of whom want England to be knocked out first

• Brazil, Portugal, Spain and Argentina are among the other teams being supported by the Welsh and Northern Irish

While Wales and Northern Ireland fans share the heartbreak of missing out on this summer's World Cup, their views on England's fate in the USA are far more contrasting.

A survey of over 1,000 fans from Wales and Northern Ireland commisioned by bookmaker Coral showed that more Welsh fans are willing to back England, with over half of those questioned - 56% - declaring their support for the Three Lions, compared to just 31% of Northern Irish fans. 

Furthermore, 43% of Northern Irish fans want this England team be one of the first teams knocked out of the tournament, compared to 36% of Welsh fans want the England team to suffer the same fate.

However both sets of fans are more indifferent when it comes to supporting Scotland, the poll of 1,010 fans showing a distinct lack of support for the Tartan Army, with only 12% of Northern Ireland fans and 11% of Wales fans declaring they will support them during the tournament.

When looking further afield for a team to adopt, Welsh fans are leaning towards traditional footballing powerhouse Brazil (6%), followed by Portugal (5%), Spain (5%), and Argentina (3%), with outsiders Colombia and the USA picking up 2% each.

Northern Irish fans, meanwhile, have found an unexpected favourite in Australia, with 9% backing the Socceroos. Brazil (6%), Austria (4%), Argentina (4%), Portugal (4%), and Spain (3%) make up the rest of their top picks.

Missing out on the expanded tournament still stings with both sets of fans, 71% of Northern Irish fans say they are even more annoyed that they didn’t make the cut, compared to 62% of Welsh football fans.

Despite this, if England do defy the odds and make it to the Final, 95% of Welsh fans would watch them play and 93% of Northern Irish fans would do the same.

David Stevens, Head of PR at Coral said:

We know football rivalries run deep, so we were surprised to see that more than half of Welsh fans said they would cheer for England this summer, while perhaps more predictably, our survey says those watching in Northern Ireland are keener to see Thomas Tuchel's side flop."

"One feeling both sets of fans share is their nation's absence from the World Cup, and maybe the tournament’s expansion has rubbed salt in their wounds, but whether they are watching out of genuine support or the hope of seeing the Three Lions lose, the majority of fans across both nations will be tuned in if England reach July's final.

*1,100 Welsh and Scottish football fans surveyed between 7 and 14 May, 2026