World Cup heartbreak for 500 England fans at Ice District bar

Fans watch England play Argentina on the big screen in a FIFA World Cup semifinal on July 15, 2026, at Edmonton's Canadian Icehouse, (Darcy Seaton/CTV News Edmonton)

Glee soon turned to grief for one set of fans at a downtown Edmonton FIFA World Cup watch party.

Two late goals in Wednesday’s semifinal held at Atlanta Stadium, including one two minutes into extra time after tying the game with five minutes left, saw Argentina come from behind to win 2-1.

Leaving 500 England fans watching on the big screen at the Canadian Icehouse in Edmonton’s Ice District wondering what could have been had their favourite men’s national soccer club somehow held on and withstood the late Argentinian barrage.

Argentina, the defending World Cup champion, will play Spain in Sunday’s final (1 p.m. MT).

Danny Greenwood, the organizer of the Edmonton watch party put on by the Edmonton England Supporters group, said the English fans “never let me down” when it comes to filling a venue in the city for national games, including 700 for last Saturday’s quarterfinal win over Norway. He said if England had made Sunday’s final, he would’ve expected 1,000 or so supporters to show.

“We are the best fans in this city, obviously apart from the Canadians,” Greenwood told CTV News Edmonton.

England, where the origins of the sport can be traced back to the 12th Century, has not won the World Cup title since 1966.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Darcy Seaton