They crossed borders and oceans to watch soccer, but World Cup visitors to the United States ended up discovering something they didn’t quite expect — a country that felt very different from the one they’d seen portrayed in the headlines.
Along the way, many got their first taste of American culture in unexpected ways: biting into chicken from Raising Cane’s for the first time, marveling at the sheer scale of a Buc-ee’s travel plaza, and coming to grips with just how big everything in America tends to be.
But the experience went well beyond food and square footage. For many of these international visitors, their understanding of the United States had been shaped by news media, TikTok videos, and second-hand stories — impressions that didn’t always hold up once they arrived. What they found with their own eyes often told a very different story.
Many had expected to find a country torn apart by political division. Instead, they encountered Uber drivers eager to share local tips and residents willing to welcome strangers into their homes. Some Americans they met didn’t even know the World Cup was happening on home soil — or simply weren’t interested. Visitors also dealt with the sticker shock of expensive tickets, but the human connections they made left a lasting impression.
The Associated Press spoke with several of these tourists about their experiences over the past few weeks and what they plan to carry home with them.
Across thousands of social media posts from visitors hailing from Asia, Europe, Africa, and Latin America, one theme kept emerging: Americans are welcoming. Locals cheered alongside international fans at sports bars, joined street celebrations, and shared the excitement inside World Cup venues.
Sebastian Reader, a 28-year-old from London, had long been drawn to American culture and decided to turn the World Cup into a three-month journey across the country. He followed England’s team from city to city and said he encountered friendliness not just in major metros like Chicago and Boston, but also in less-populated states like Arkansas.
In Dallas, a stranger he met at a Mexican restaurant showed off his truck and revved the engine just for the experience. Another local he connected with at a bar invited Reader and his friend back to his front porch, where they stayed up until 2 a.m. talking about movies and sports.
