Boys' trip to World Cup takes on new meaning after mate's death

1 1 4 →1 1 →1 1 →1 0 →1 2 →0 7 →1 2 →2 1 →0 5 →1 0 →0 1 →1 1 →1 2 →2 3 →1 1 →4 3 →0 3 →1 1 →1 4 →2 1 →0 1 →3 1 →1 4 →1 6 →0 Live 0 →0 - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- - →- Friends turn World Cup trip into tribute after mate’s sudden death Fri 19 Jun 2026 at 12:00pm A boys' trip that finally made it out of the group chat after two years of planning has become a tribute to a beloved friend. A dozen mates were months away from flying from Australia to North America to watch the Socceroos at the FIFA World Cup when the excitement was shattered. Brisbane man Brett Niven was grocery shopping when a notification in his football chat told him that his childhood friend Jeff Thomas had died. "I read it over and over, waiting for some punchline or something to click where I would realise that I had misread it,” Mr Niven said. "I walked around Woolies for about 10 minutes, circling around in a fog. It hit hard once I'd made it home." "Jeffro", 44, died of a heart attack. "He was a family man, great man, great friend, great person," Mr Niven said. "He's always laughing, always smiling, you can always pick up the phone and ring him and he'd say something crude, but in a comical way." The group planned catch the Socceroos' first two group-stage matches and take in locations significant in the grunge music scene. "Jeff was also an avid grunge music fan," Mr Niven said. The grieving friends faced a tough call, but ultimately decided to take the trip. They arranged for Jeff's father, Dave Thomas, to take his place, along with his other son, Steve. "This trip has a healing element to it,"Mr Niven said. Making lasting memories Mr Thomas, who has known many of the men for more than 20 years, was deeply moved by the show of respect. "Having my eldest son as part of the group allowed the two of us to remember Jeff together — laughing, crying and reminiscing with Steve and the wider group of Jeff's mates," he said. "The pinnacle of my time was match day against Türkiye, bringing Jeff along with us in our hearts, along with the remembrance banner and special football shirts designed by Jeff's mates. "I was humbled to be included in part of a trip that I know Jeff had been so looking forward to." Mr Niven says the friends are feeling a mix of sorrow and joy as they prepare to watch Australia take on the USA in Seattle. "He should be here, enjoying these moments with us. That will never go away," he said. "It's really important to think about who you're watching the game with and who you're spending time with. "It's a reminder of how we don't know how much time we have, so the result wasn't going to matter." [Image text:] AUSTRALIA FIFAWORI TURKIYE VANCOUVER JUNE13,2026