Prince William appeared by video link on the "New Heights" podcast on July 3, 2026, where he disclosed that his father, King Charles III, hates football. "Absolutely not. My father hates football," William said, correcting the hosts who had assumed otherwise [1].
The interview aired just hours before NFL star Travis Kelce's wedding to pop star Taylor Swift in New York City, an event that drew major public attention [1, 2]. The timing coincided with the United States marking 250 years since its independence from Britain, a milestone William acknowledged humorously. "There were times...there were times. Yeah, but I’d like to think the UK and the US have been together for those 250 years," he said [3].
William also emphasized the UK-US "special relationship" during the conversation, which ranged from football to America's history with Britain [4, 5]. He highlighted his personal connection to the sport, saying he supports Premier League club Aston Villa and would consider traveling to the United States if England's national team reached the FIFA World Cup final. "If we’re in the finals...maybe see you both there for the final?" he said [1].
He took care to clarify a common confusion, telling the podcast hosts that "football" in the UK is not called "soccer," stating in Mandarin, "足球在英國不叫‘Soccer’，應稱作‘Football’" [2].
England had advanced to the round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup and was scheduled to play Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on July 5, 2026 [1, 6]. This match would determine if William’s hope of attending the final in the US might be realized.
The podcast conversation brought attention to the royal family’s varied views on football, William’s personal sports interests, and the historic US-British ties as the 250th anniversary celebrations unfolded.
England’s match against Mexico on July 5 remains a key upcoming event as the World Cup progresses [1].
