England will be going against Mexico on Monday, with thousands of pounds worth of expensive shirts at risk in pubs across the country
England is through to the last 16 round of the 2026 Fifa World Cup, with the next knockout clash against Mexico kicking off at 1am BST on Monday. The monumental match has been acknowledged by the UK Governmet allowing pubs to stay open until 5am to accommodate post-match celebrations, or commiserations.
However, in the midst of any England goals will be countless expensive football shirts getting drenched in beer as ‘pint throws’, the act of chucking often near-full pints across the room after England scores. Fans looking to keep their favourite shirts match-ready, even after being caught in a flying lager crossfire, have been told just one step could save it all.
Football experts at Live Football Tickets have shared their top tips for tackling beer stains, starting with one step you can do at the pub: rinsing the stained spot with a bit of cold water.
The experts advised: “Rinse with cold water when you can and rinse the shirt inside out, pushing the beer back out of the fabric rather than through it.”
If you’re rinsing your shirt in a public bathroom, avoid the warm water taps and the hand dryers. The experts explained: “Always let it air dry as any form of heat will set the stain and make it harder to remove later.
“The same rule applies once you are home, let it air naturally and do not tumble dry the shirt until you are certain the stain has fully gone.
“If you are unable to wash the shirt until after you are back from the pub, and the stain has already dried, soak the shirt in cold water with a tiny drop of detergent or fairy liquid for 20 to 30 minutes.”
If a brilliant goal has fully soaked your favourite shirt and you aren’t able to rinse it any time soon, use a napkin or paper towel at the pub to blot out the stain. Try to lift as much beer as possible out of the fabric as soon as possible.
The experts warned: “You want to avoid rubbing the stain, as this can push the liquid deeper into the fibres and could damage the badges, printed details or personalised lettering on the shirt.”
It’s not uncommon for official football shirts to cost around £90 or more, with personalisations sending the price of these items even further.
However, most official England shirts are 100% polyester and although the fabric gets a bad reputation on runways, it’s great for withstanding a rowdy pub. The experts noted that these synthetic fibres are naturally water resistant, meaning your shirt won’t absorb as much of the pint as other fabrics would.
This also gives it a bit of resistance to other water-based stains like wine, coffee and sweat. But, the fabric is not invincible and using heat or rubbing away at the stains will still likely end in a long-lasting tragedy for your merchandise.