The United States can no longer win this year’s World Cup, but the country and its brands continue to gain new fans. Millions of football fans have traveled to watch the biggest sporting event, taking over not only the 16 host cities but many other towns along the way. Locals in Lawrence, Kansas, began supporting
The United States can no longer win this year’s World Cup, but the country and its brands continue to gain new fans.
Millions of football fans have traveled to watch the biggest sporting event, taking over not only the 16 host cities but many other towns along the way.
Locals in Lawrence, Kansas, began supporting Algeria after the team set up its training camp in the city. Boston established a sister city partnership with Glasgow after kilt-wearing Scottish fans descended on the city last month. Some members of the “Tartan Army” rented yellow school buses to travel to games.
That enthusiasm marks a shift from some of the animosity sparked by Donald Trump’s tariff plans and the war in Iran.
Although hosting this year’s World Cup has also highlighted controversial aspects. The Iran team complained of mistreatment after moving its training camp from Arizona to Tijuana amid visa issues, and a Somali referee was turned away at the border.
American forward Folarin Balogun controls the ball in Monday’s match against Belgium. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Before Belgium beat the United States 4-1 on Monday to eliminate the hosts from the tournament, the match was mired in controversy after Trump said he asked the FIFA president to review a red card that would have banned American striker Folarin Balogun from playing. His ban was later suspended, but Belgian player Nicolas Raskin said the team was motivated to win by a “sense of injustice.”
The 2026 tournament is also expected to be the most expensive yet. Tickets for the final cost almost $11,000 for the best seats. Business Insider found that, with hotels and flights, following a team from its first game to the final could cost up to $31,000.
When prices are this high, fans may feel more motivated to make their trip a worthy vacation. In addition to the usual venues, the variety of host cities and the tournament’s five-week duration have encouraged some fans to enjoy the everyday aspects of being in the United States.
The novelty of Walmart
Last Friday morning, before the Australian team’s game against Egypt, dozens of Australian fans flocked to a Walmart in Arlington, Texas.
Online videos showed them dressed in yellow T-shirts, shouting outside the store: “Let’s go to Walmart.” Once inside, they chanted in the same way they would support their players.
Fans made the most of their time in the US with a dose of tongue-in-cheek humor. Walmart’s cavernous stores and seemingly endless selection of products are quintessentially American, making the retailer something of a tourist attraction for first-time visitors.
Australian fans took over a Walmart in Texas last Friday. ayceholdr via X/via REUTERS
Ranch dressing is the new trendy souvenir
The dip proved so popular with visiting fans that some attempted to take bottles home in their carry-on luggage, but had them confiscated at airport security.
Last month, the Transportation Security Administration posted on X reminding World Cup tourists that ranch can only be packed in checked bags.
Philadelphia International Airport later said three of its stores would begin selling eight-ounce bottles of Hidden Valley Ranch after security screening, allowing travelers to purchase them once they pass through TSA screening.
“Did TSA take your liquid gold at security? We’ve got you covered!” the publication said.
Paradies Lagardère, a travel retail company, began selling ranches after noticing their popularity among World Cup fans, Business Insider previously reported.
“While ranch isn’t an official retail category for us, we’re always looking for ways to meet customer demand and have some fun with global events like this,” said Justin Marlett, the company’s director of strategic marketing.
The Buc-ee experience
If you’re not familiar, Buc-ee’s is like a gas station with the number 11. These huge “travel centers,” found primarily in Texas and the South, average about 100 gas pumps, but they offer much more than fuel.
Buc-ee’s is famous for its freshly made barbecue sandwiches, brisket, homemade fudge, baked goods, rows of produce, impeccable restrooms and Beaver Nuggets, the chain’s candy-coated sweet corn snack.
For many visitors, it looks less like a gas station and more like a roadside theme park. There are also some bargains, like fountain sodas starting at around $1 and breakfast burritos selling for under $5.
A Japanese tourist got more than 55,000 likes on his TikTok video showing a Buc-ee’s eating beef jerky and admiring all the souvenirs related to the chain’s beaver mascot.
The pilgrimage to the Waffle House
Some fans have followed their team by taking road trips between different stadiums, leading to some late-night stops at Waffle House.
“Freddy,” a German soccer fan who gained hundreds of thousands of followers by posting on X about his World Cup trips, was one of them.
He and his friends stopped at a Waffle House at 1 am. “Great food, great prices and friendly staff. 10/10, we will be back,” he posted.
The restaurant chain also welcomed the tournament. Its downtown Atlanta location opened a World Cup pop-up store selling Waffle House jerseys and soccer balls to take advantage of the influx of visiting fans.