Chelsea fan Rawls, now 61, has been trying to secure tickets for his three friends, saying, “It’s just incredible to see England in a World Cup semifinal.” Interestingly, some Russian fans are holding onto their tickets to cheer for England as well. Bangla Cricket Live captured the excitement when Russian supporters Dmitry Tolmachev and Gulina Ivanova, faces painted with the St. George’s Cross, watched England’s 2-0 victory over Sweden in the quarterfinals. “We’ll keep supporting them,” said 29-year-old Dmitry.

His friend Gulina, 27, added, “I love them. They’re young, talented, and truly exciting to watch. All of us are rooting for England. We know political tensions exist between our countries, but this isn’t politics—it’s football. Politicians deal with politics, but people care about football. Politics divides, sport unites.”

Back in 1990, England’s semifinal clash against Germany became the most-watched match in UK television history, with 26.2 million viewers across BBC and ITV. But that record is expected to be shattered on Wednesday. Roughly 30 million viewers—nearly half of the UK’s population—are predicted to tune in for England’s semifinal against Croatia at 7 PM local time. England’s round of 16 match against Colombia drew 24.4 million TV viewers, while the quarterfinal win over Sweden attracted 19.9 million. “It’s amazing,” Rawls added. “Tickets are soaring in price and selling out fast. If I can, I’m heading to Moscow.”

Croatia’s quarterfinal win over tournament hosts Russia might play in England fans’ favor. Many Russian supporters are expected to forfeit their reserved seats for Wednesday’s semifinal at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium. Tickets are now being resold via FIFA’s official platform, with category three seats at £216, category two at £361, and premium category one at £564. The semifinal between England and Croatia will be held at the Luzhniki Stadium, and demand has skyrocketed ever since Southgate’s Three Lions powered past Colombia and Sweden to reach England’s first World Cup semifinal since 1990.

Since England’s last World Cup win in 1966, this is the closest they’ve come to reclaiming the trophy. Fans are eager to witness history firsthand. British Airways has added five return flights to Moscow to meet the rising demand. Even with airfare reaching £932, flights are nearly sold out. Online travel bookings surged 83 percent, with Leeds-based fans tripling in number, given that a quarter of England’s squad hails from Yorkshire. Meanwhile, on resale platforms like Ticombo, ticket prices have spiked—some listings are now selling for five times the original price.