The FIFA 2026 World Cup has taken the game of soccer – or football for most of the rest of the world – into the American consciousness. Shattering attendance records in stadiums and drawing the viewership of millions of Americans on television, the 2026 tournament has irrevocably altered Americans' attitude toward the sport, and – due to the influx of fans from all over the world – it has changed the way people feel about America.
My Experience with Soccer
Personally, my experience with watching soccer came down to my children playing the sport. I never played soccer as a kid, and none of my friends did either. As a NYC kid, I played in the street or on a paved city park field, and the sports we cared about were baseball, football, basketball, and hockey.
Growing up my teams were the New York Mets, Jets, Knicks, and Islanders. I never had any thoughts about playing or watching soccer. But when my kids were little they wanted to join soccer teams – until this day I don't know why because they never saw me watching that sport, but I think it had more to do with their peers.
Once my kids were on teams, I went to practices and matches. I had interest in the sport because they were playing it, but that didn't make me want to go home and try to find matches to watch on TV.
Of course, the FIFA 2026 World Cup has changed my attitude about the sport. I dare say it has changed millions of Americans' feelings about soccer too.
Viewership and Cultural Change
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| Millions of Americans are watching |
This 2026 FIFA World Cup has drawn a massive television audience. It is estimated that every match has had an audience of 100 million or more Americans. In my opinion the only other case of this kind of national attention would be the NFL Super Bowl – an estimated 124.9 million Americans watched Super Bowl LX in February 2026.
A recent Gallup Survey revealed that around 40% of Americans were watching some of the matches. That is comparable to 38% of Americans who watched it in 1994 when the World Cup was held in America. In other years when the event was held elsewhere viewership was around 30%.
Neglecting My Other Sports
Personally, I have neglected other sports that I would have been watching because of the World Cup. I have not watched a Mets game at all during this time, and I have had no time Wimbledon this year. My late father would not believe that I didn't watch any tennis or Mets' games, but I have been so involved in these cup matches.
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| The Knicks Win the Championship |
Of course, I watched every Knicks' playoff game as they eventually brought a championship home, but I wonder if timing isn't everything. The World Cup was just kicking off when the Knicks beat San Antonio, and then my attention quickly shifted to soccer. I cannot believe I'm even saying that.
Changed Attitude
I think that I – and many other Americans – used to feel that the game was boring. With the other sports I've previously mentioned, games are broken down into innings, quarters, or periods. There are numerous opportunities for breaks in those games – which means opportunities for getting a snack, going to the bathroom, or checking your phone.
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| I appreciate soccer now |
Also, soccer is very low scoring. 1-0 matches are common rather than rare. In American football, we are used to high scores. Even in baseball we are not used to seeing 1-0 games. In basketball 100 points – or even more – are quite common for both teams.
However, this tournament has taught me to respect the game of soccer. There is so much precision and strategy to the sport. I – and think now millions of Americans – have found an appreciation of the game and realize the depth of talent needed to play it competitively.
American Influence on the Tournament
If the World Cup changed how Americans viewed soccer, it can also be said that America changed some aspects of the game. Consider the following:
-FIFA installed extended half time
-Hydration breaks (which allowed more TV commercials)
-Championship rings (like the Super Bowl winners receive) – this is the first time FIFA will give the champions rings
-Working with Nike and Adidas during the tournament for promotional reasons
Economic and Cultural Boost for America
It is estimated that the boom in hospitality for American host cities was a financial juggernaut. The host cities received a welcome boost from the visitors coming there to view the matches.
Those cities also learned about having to be ready for a huge crowd. Consider the situation in Boston – the city ran out of beer due to the enthusiastic Scottish World Cup fans visiting there. You can bet that will never happen in that town again! Next time they will be prepared.
It is believed that each city had $600 million or more dollars spent because of the visitors coming to watch the matches. This is an amazing amount of money spent, but there was also another long term benefit – a new found love for America.
Visitors Appreciate America
As a traveler for many years – having visited six continents – I have always found locals to be friendly with me wherever I went. I've never had a problem, but I found that people do have a lot of reservations about America. They've heard a lot of negative things about my country, and I always felt sad about that.
Yet now – if you have seen numerous positive videos on YouTube – visitors found that America is very different from what they expected. People from countries all over the world – and especially from Europe – have found that America is nothing like they perceived it to be.
Please check out this video about visitors' reactions to being in America.
I find it heartwarming to see people gushing over visits to Walmart, Costco, Waffle House, Target, McDonald's and other places we probably take for granted. They are overwhelmed by visiting local malls and the size and amenities found in our stadiums. The good news is that these people don't only want to come back – some of them never want to leave!
Impressive Impact on America and the World
The FIFA 2026 World Cup has left a lasting impact on America and the way the world perceives us. It has changed the way Americans feel about soccer – leaving an overwhelmingly positive perception for many people, including those who never gave the sport a chance.
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| AT&T Stadium in Texas |
It has changed the way people from other countries feel about America, and it has provided host cities with a welcome economic boost. Millions of soccer fans from Europe visited places like Kansas City and Dallas that would have never neem visited before, and they fell in love with these cities and American culture.
Globally, the FIFA World Cup 2026 has reached between 5 to 6 billion viewers, whether they were watching TV or streaming the matches. In the United States, FOX and Telemundo broke previous records for viewership, and it has brought soccer to the attention of Americans like never before.
And in the End
Americans will never think of soccer as that other sport ever again. It has been brought it into focus like never before, and I think that will last long after the World Cup 2026 is over. There will be a new interest in Major League Soccer – let's not forget Lionel Messi plays in Miami now – in this country that will good for the sport and good for us as well.
The FIFA 2026 World Cup will have a lasting impact on Americans and people who visited here. It has brought about a feeling of good will and sportsmanship that will never be forgotten.
Please watch another video about World Cup fans' reaction to America.
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