Saturday, 25 July 2026

Costa Rica v England, Inter&Co Stadium, Florida Series Friendly, Orlando

 10 Jun 26

Florida Series Friendlies 

Costa Rica v England

Inter&Co Stadium

Orlando, Florida, USA



This 116 page A4 programme was available to buy at the stadium for $15 but I think they added tax/gratuity so it was more like $20. The programme is very colourful with good articles about the players, teams and the two venues involved in the Florida Series in Tampa Bay and Orlando


The pricing was a bit ion the steep side costing $44.37 a ticket in the England section. The FA confirmed that 3772 tickets were allocated but only 1500 tickets were sold. The match itself was a sell out, with 20,341 in attendance 


The Inter&Co Stadium has a capacity of 25,500 and has hosted the USMNT on 6 occasions where they have a 100% record: playing 6, winning 6, drawing 0, losing 0

21 Mar 19 (Friendly) USA 1 Ecuador 0
31 Jan 21 (Friendly) USA 7 Trinidad & Tobago 0
25 Mar 21 (FIFA WC Qualifier) USA 4 Jamaica 1
27 Mar 22 (FIFA WC Qualifier) USA 5 Panama 1
27 Mar 23 (CONCACAF NL) USA 1 El Salvador 0
22 Jan 25 (Friendly) USA 3 Costa Rica 0


Inter&Co Stadium (formerly Orlando City Stadium) is only a short walk to downtown and is located in the Parramore neighbourhood of Orlando. It is home to Orlando City SC and hosted it's first game on 5 Mar 2017, becoming the first stadium to permanently host MLS


Costa Rica 0 England 3

Attendance: 20,341


Declan Rice on pole in edition 199. The photo was taken 
in the driving rain of Riga last October 


On 9 Jun we visited SeaWorld Orlando which is one of the top parks in Florida and the USA. Tickets were not cheap! It cost $230 PP for a 2 day park package with Aquatica


Caribbean 'Pink' Flamingos 


Live Sea Lions show at Sea World


Cookie Monster on Sesame Street


Home in Orlando


Our hosts (Kit and Jane) travelled with the circus throughout the USA. Kit was a ring master for Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey and later a drama teacher, even teaching Henry Winkelman (the Fonz), see the video


Lake Eola, Orlando Florida


Team photo at the Underground Public House
 on North Orange Avenue, Orlando


Mature conversation with the stadium 
announcer for tomorrow's game


Tozer escaping in a golf cart


It is matchday and a thunder storm is inbound so we take shelter in the 'Broken Strings Brewery and Taproom' 


The storm arrives and KO is delayed by an Hr. 
I lose my white shades and socks are soaking


The last photo of me wearing my favourite shades


The Costa Rican Miami Ultras with their banner
'Somos Florida - We are Florida'


Glenn Lane towards the Main (West) stand


The Ultras trying to organise themselves


The Miami Ultras of Deportivo Saprissa - the top
 Costa Rican club team from San Juan


In the centre is the Chairman's Club balcony


East stand from West Pine Street


Towards the England section off Central Boulevard


Concourse Block 23-27 (Supporter Section)


The Flaggies have been here bout 2 hours already


Posing with 'DB' - England's No1 fan


The Inter&Co Stadium is a really fabulous football venue

Three Lion

A bit of Fat Les


Three Lions - 'Yes Boys' banner!

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

New Zealand v England, Raymond James Stadium, Florida Series Friendly, Tampa Bay

6 Jun 26

Florida Series Friendlies 

New Zealand v England

Raymond James Stadium

Tampa Bay, Florida, USA

This 116 page A4 programme was available to buy at the stadium for $15 but I think they added tax/gratuity so it was more like $20. The programme is very colourful with good articles about the players, teams and the two venues involved in the Florida Series in Tampa Bay and Orlando

The pricing was really good with tickets costing $34.70 in the England section. ESTC confirmed that 1500 tickets had been purchased from an allocation 3776. The official attendance being 25,889, including may English Ex-Pats


The Raymond James Stadium(the Ray Jay) has a capacity of 69,000 and has been the venue for the Super Bowl on 3 occasions (2001, 2009 and 2021). Primarily it is home to NFL side Tampa Bay Buccaneers but the stadium has also hosted the USMNT and USWNT. The USA Men's National Team has played at the 'Ray Jay' on 6 occasions:

25 Mar 07 (Friendly) USA 3 Ecuador 1
24 Feb 10 (Friendly) USA 2 El Salvador 1
11 Jun 11 (CONCACAF Gold Cup) USA 1 Guadeloupe 0
8 Jun 12 (FIFA WC Qualifier) USA 3 Antigua & Barbuda 1
11 Oct 18 (Friendly) USA 2 Colombia 4
18 Nov 25 (Friendly) USA 5 Uruguay 1

England at the home of the Bucs

New Zealand 0 England 1

Attendance: 25,889



Declan Rice on edition 199. I think this was taken in the driving rain of Riga last October 


On 31 May I left London Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic flight VS117. My 10 hour flight to Miami would be the start of an epic journey to the USA and Mexico, ending on 17 Jul 26 



Miami Baby 🌴



After a night in Miami I made my way to Miami Golden Glades for the 4 Hr bus ride to Kissimmee. Cheap and cheerful with plenty of stops! 


Home in Kissimmee for the next 9 days


Home, sweet home!


A great apartment but very isolated so we had to hire a car for 11 days to get to the various sites that we had planned to see


We headed to 'St Petersburg for a Tampa Bay Rays MLB game and as a bonus we visit Tampa Bay Rowdies, one of the original most famous of the MLS soccer teams




The Al Lang Stadium was a former popular choice for many MLB teams for their spring training. It only became home to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2011


On 2 Jun it was MLB time to see the Tampa Bays v Detroit Tigers at the Tropicana Field, St Petersburg in the American League (AL) of the East Division.



On 4 June we visited Aquatica in Orlando which is the #1 outdoor water park in the USA


On 5th June we went to the JFK Space Centre, originally the NASA Launch Operations Centre on Merritt Island. 


Rocket Garden


Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle and the Artemis projects have all had their operation centre's here in East Florida, not far from Cape Canaveral


Steve and the Space Shuttle


A dip in the pool to finish off the day


Its 6th June and matchday in Tampa Bay and I meet up with Southend Tim at the TCP 


It's off to to downtown Tampa to meet a Fez about some 'Oxford Scholars'


'Hattricks' is buzzing and I'm $1000 richer


Big T happy that DC is front and centre


Brasso from Wigan


Team photo


Entering the home of the Bucs


Pirate ship and Buccaneer Cove


Anthems


The stadium is only half full but the atmos is good


From the England end 


Close up of the pirate ship


It's hot, damn hot! 🔥


25,889 in attendance


The England end


West stand


West stand


East stand


East stand


Strong team for this friendly!


Harry Kane's deft headed flick is the difference 1:0 England 


The next game is in 4 days time against Costa Rica


NFL territory


More NFL billboards


'Ray Jay' - Home of the Krewe


The strip, Ybor City


Party time at Ybor City


Young Harry bagging caps


Motel at Treasure Island in St Pete's


Bish and Lewis' gaff on Treasure Island


Dolphin watching day at St John's Pass, Madeira Beach


Dolphin Spotters, we are!


Shipmates


The crew


Derby lads and the 'Family'


Obligatory team photo


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