The FIFA World Cup can get rather chaotic and energetic, and it appears even Texas is not exempt from its frenzied festivity. FIFA World Cup tourists in Texas, mainly from Australia, recently went viral for flocking to a nearby Walmart, chanting “We’re getting deported” as some kind of mockery against ICE and Trump’s immigration policies. As a result, police had to intervene.
The incident occurred in Arlington, Texas, at a Walmart near the Dallas Stadium, the venue for the Australia vs Egypt match in the FIFA World Cup. In the video, a big crowd wearing the yellow Australian team shirt for the World Cup could be seen and heard chanting “We’re going to Walmart” first on the way there, but inside Walmart, they changed their tune to “We’re getting deported” while also clapping. The celebration came just hours before Australia’s World Cup campaign ended. Australia lost to Egypt.
Sadly for the Walmart employees, the chaos didn’t end there because Instagram user @jonocastanoacero captured another angle of the incident where the same crowd can be seen jumping up and down and singing inside Walmart. Some of them were also using the food aisles and shelves as platforms, possibly resulting in minor damage.
Hence, Walmart employees had no choice but to call 911. According to local reports, the Arlington Police Department responded to break up the spontaneous gathering. Authorities have not announced any arrests or criminal charges related to the incident, and there were no reports of injuries or significant property damage.
People Online Were Torn on the Festivity
Online reaction to the Walmart takeover was sharply divided. Some viewers criticized the fans’ conduct, arguing the chants and disruption reflected poorly on Australia’s supporters. “Worst fans of the World Cup are the Australians,” one social media user wrote. Another commenter blasted the group, saying, “How embarrassing for them. Respect our country.”
Certain commenters even regarded the chanting as disrespectful, especially since the incident happened just a day before the 4th of July, or Independence Day in the US. “Shows you the utter lack of respect America has despite the orange leader trying desperately to portray its never been higher,” rants an X user.
Still, others defended the supporters, describing the scenes as typical World Cup festivities rather than malicious behavior. “This is the best. Live the banter,” another user posted, while another questioned why police intervention was necessary, asking, “Did they loot the place? Why were the police called?” Interestingly enough, this wasn’t the first time World Cup tourists caused a scene. English World Cup fans also went viral earlier in June for their rather crass behavior.
