During the Wimbledon tennis tournament on July 1, 2026, spectators secretly followed the World Cup match between England and Congo DR on their phones. Although football coverage is banned at Wimbledon during major tournaments to avoid interruptions, the crowd on Centre Court cheered loudly three times during the third set of Barbora Krejcikova's win over Mirra Andreeva. The cheers corresponded to Harry Kane's two goals and the final whistle as England came from behind to win 2-1 in Atlanta.

The All England Club maintains a policy of not showing soccer games on screens inside the grounds during events like the World Cup or European Championship. However, fans found ways to keep up with the football action discreetly. Tennis player Coco Gauff, who had completed her match before England's comeback, noticed the cheers but said they did not bother her, noting, "They [cheered] when she was still going to the baseline to return, so it didn't bother me at all."

Krejcikova’s opponent, Mirra Andreeva, the French Open champion, appeared confused by the interruptions, possibly because her opponent had just saved a break point. Krejcikova herself said she was focused on her game and did not pay attention to the football.

An official acknowledged, "If people have got their phones, then we're not going to prevent people from watching the football."

England’s next World Cup match against Mexico is scheduled for 10 a.m. on July 6 (AEST), a time that will not overlap with Wimbledon tennis matches.

Sources