An England supporter who gave up his house deposit to take his grandfather to the 2026 FIFA World Cup has received an unexpected financial boost after a company reimbursed the entire £10,000 he spent on the once-in-a-lifetime trip.
Twenty-one-year-old Jacob Allmendinger used the savings he had been putting aside for a home deposit to treat his 80-year-old grandfather, Geoff Golliker, to a World Cup adventure across the United States and Mexico. Geoff had taken Jacob to watch Hull City throughout his childhood, and the young fan decided to return the favour by making his grandfather’s World Cup dream come true.
The pair travelled to New York, Atlanta and Mexico City, where they watched England’s group-stage victories over Panama and DR Congo before witnessing the dramatic 3-2 Round of 16 triumph against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.
Their story quickly went viral, with football fans recognising them in several cities during the tournament.
Inspired by their journey, US-based crypto casino company Metawin contacted Jacob through social media, promising to refund his £10,000 if England beat Panama by more than two goals. Although England’s 2-0 win fell short of the target, the company later extended the offer, saying it would honour the pledge if England defeated DR Congo by any score.
