Bikinis, cold beer and poolside celebrations: England fans watch Panama clash at Las Vegas rooftop pool bash

Exclusive coverage: Thousands of England supporters skipped the miserable rain and expensive match tickets at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, shelling out just £30 to catch the Three Lions’ game under blazing sunshine in Sin City.

Held at Circa Resort and Casino’s famous Stadium Swim rooftop venue, this massive fan gathering has earned a reputation as the world’s ultimate World Cup watch party. Fans revelled in temperatures hitting 100 degrees Fahrenheit as they cheered England’s victory over Panama.

Instead of braving wet stands in the New York-New Jersey area, attendees tuned into the fixture on an enormous 135ft by 41ft screen. The sprawling rooftop complex features six swimming pools, two spa cabanas and rows of sun loungers, with celebrations carrying on well after full-time.

During lulls in the match action, fans sipped mixed drinks at swim-up bars, danced to sets from a top-tier DJ, and even tried their luck at the rooftop casino. The huge display boasts 14 million megapixels, delivering crystal-clear, sharp footage despite the harsh bright Nevada desert sunlight.

Forty-year-old dental consultant Shelley Foster from Surrey attended the event as a 40th birthday surprise arranged by her partner Marc Cottrell. She shared her delight after England secured the win:

“We got the perfect result we were hoping for. Marc tracked down this spot and booked it for our trip.

I had absolutely no clue what to expect, but stepping out onto the rooftop completely blew me away. You can sit right in the pool with a beer while watching the football, and the sun is blazing hot without a single cloud in sight. I truly don’t think there’s a better place on earth to watch this game today.”

Her friend Alex Jellye, a 29-year-old school administrator also from Surrey, was equally blown away by the unique atmosphere:

“This place is pure heaven. It’s easily the best venue anywhere to follow the World Cup match. It’s brilliant to see so many fellow England fans all gathered here together.

We’re having an absolute blast. You never have to wait long for drinks either – staff wander around taking orders nonstop, or you can simply swim up to the bar to grab another round.

All my mates keep begging me to stop uploading photos online because they’re so jealous of how good we’ve got it. Forget England lifting the trophy; it already feels like I’ve won the World Cup just being here.”