FIFA 2026: Warm US Welcome Charms Fan
New York: Ahead of the World Cup, many international fans were sceptical of the idea of the U.S. as co-hosts for football's biggest tournament. There
New York: Ahead of the World Cup, many international fans were sceptical of the idea of the U.S. as co-hosts for football's biggest tournament. There were worries over visa access, high costs, gun violence, a lack of local interest in the sport and more.While those worries have not been entirely dispelled, as the tournament has got under way social media has been flooded with posts from fans visiting the country for the first time and discovering something more positive - a distinctive culture of 24-hour retail, free soda refills, chicken wings dipped in ranch dressing and a warm welcome from Americans.Read more: Soccer-How a warm World Cup welcome is endearing the US to fans"I met these two gorgeous girls from Boston. It was her birthday, she was having cocktails. I bought her another one and they kept saying 'welcome to Boston, Massachusetts!'," said "Tartan Army" Scottish fan Gail Nicholl, in a Boston pub ahead of her team's first game against Haiti. "They loved us, we loved them... Everyone is so friendly, so nice.""Something new for me is how friendly and outgoing everyone is," said a Swiss fan from Zurich on a Reddit forum replete with praise from visiting tourists.Whether such positive press can restore a reputation battered by an often confrontational government that has proudly proclaimed 'America First' and angered allies including Canada, Britain,Germany and more remains to be seen.But, say sports analytics experts, it can make a real difference."The front porch of your house is the first thing a visitor experiences before they ever step inside," said Darin White, founder of Samford University's Sports Industry Program in Alabama and a former soccer coach."Sports serves that same function for cities, states, and countries.
It is often the first meaningful, emotionally charged encounter someone has with a place they might otherwise never have thought much about."Research has consistently indicated that hosting a major sports event can genuinely shift long-held stereotypes, he added.OFF THE BEATEN PATHWhat is particularly interesting about the 2026 World Cup is that it is exposing international visitors to places outside those normally frequented by tourists - not just New York, Los Angeles and Orlando, but Kansas City, Atlanta and Houston.In Kansas City, Argentines - for whom eating "asado" barbecue is almost as central to the culture as football - gathered to try the local "dry rub" version of grilled meat."The Argentinean barbecue is my favourite. But this one is really good," said visiting Argentina supporter Cristian Gastes.In Dallas, Germany fan Maximilian Kirch from Duesseldorf also tried barbecue - and showed off his new Texan cowboy hat. "Of course I'm wanting to experience more of it," he said."There is something distinct about the warmth you encounter when you get off the beaten path," said White."The fan from Morocco who got help finding their gate in Dallas, or the family from Germany who got directions from a stranger in Seattle, those moments do not make headlines.
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