Last night (11th June 2026), a gaggle of Gareth Southgate lookalikes descended on The Alma in Wandsworth to mark the kick-off of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Organised by The Alma and Local, the UK’s fastest-growing lite beer, the event saw Southgate doppelgangers travel from across the UK, with waistcoats firmly in place, to battle it out for a £100 bar tab and the esteemed ‘The Golden Waistcoat’.
With multiple potential Gareths in the mix, from casual fans to professional lookalikes, the competition featured a series of competitive rounds, including; ‘Most Inspiring Team Talk’ and ‘Most Cliché Post-Match Interview’, before London local Tom, originally from Wales, was crowned the ultimate winner in a trophy ceremony worthy of Wembley. A surprise Robbie Williams tribute act also made an appearance, bringing the evening to a suitably nostalgic and unmistakably British close.
Beyond the event, The Alma will be showing matches across the tournament on pub screens, best enjoyed with a pint and Scotch egg at the bar. From lively parties and look-alike competitions to chin-dribblin’ burgers and fanzones, head to your nearest local to see how matches play out, with highlights below and full list here: www.youngs.co.uk/world-cup.
On the event, Connal Donovan, General Manager at The Alma, says: “Pubs have long been the home of football culture, and at Young’s, we’re always looking for new ways to bring people together in our pubs. Partnerships like this with Local help create memorable moments for our community while championing the importance of the local pub and spotlighting suppliers we love working with.”
James Tyler, Co-Founder of Local, says: “At Local we believe life’s heavy enough, so beer doesn’t have to be. Seeing so many people come together to support their Local and kick off the World Cup in such a ridiculous way has been fantastic to see.”
