As the 2026 FIFA World Cup brings thousands of international football supporters across North America, with three-quarters of all tournament matches hosted across the United States, many visitors are leaving the stadium stands to explore a side of American culture that has proven far more surprising than any on-pitch upset. For Ayoub Baghdad, a Moroccan fan who recently arrived in the U.S. to cheer on his national team, the most striking first impression had nothing to do with soccer, and everything to do with the sheer scale that defines everyday American life.
“Everything is big, even the coke is big,” Baghdad said, noting that roadways, commercial trucks, and city buildings are far larger than the infrastructure he is accustomed to back in Morocco. He is far from alone in this observation: conversations with dozens of international fans reveal that the size of American consumer and public life has become one of the most talked-about unexpected takeaways of their trip, with viral clips flooding social media showing supporters reacting to oversized supermarket aisles, massive restaurant portions, and multi-purpose mega-retailers.
Scottish vlogger Shaun captured widespread sentiment after a visit to Buc-ee’s, the beloved Southern U.S. convenience store chain that combines fuel, a full restaurant, a grocery store, and novelty merchandise under one roof. “A place like this could ONLY exist in America and I LOVE it,” he told reporters, echoing the wonder many visitors feel at the uniquely American approach to large-scale retail.
Food has become a central part of many fans’ cross-cultural exploration, with visitors lining up to try chains and regional dishes they have only seen on television or in films. Ire Balogun, a traveler from Oxford, England, said he was caught off guard by how flavorful American food is compared to what he can get back home. “I’m surprised even with their fast food, there’s just so much more flavour. I’m sure it’s not good for you in many other ways … but the flavour comes through across the board, whether it’s Chinese or Hispanic food,” he explained.
A group of Portuguese graduate students traveling from Madrid echoed that excitement, saying they have prioritized trying U.S. chain restaurants unavailable in their home countries, including Tex-Mex favorite Chipotle and celebrity-favorite burger chain Shake Shack, alongside small local eateries. “It what we are used to seeing in movies or TV shows,” said group member Lourenço Silva. “It’s a part of the experience of coming to the US.”
Even small cultural norms have left an impression on visitors. Christian Boateng, a Ghanaian fan based in England, noted he was stunned not just by the oversized portions at American restaurants that left his group unable to finish their meal, but also by the common U.S. practice of excluding sales tax from listed retail prices — a system that works very differently from the standard pricing model in the United Kingdom. Many fans have also expressed surprise at the free perks U.S. restaurants regularly offer, from complimentary chips and salsa at Mexican eateries to free refills on soft drinks at nearly every dining establishment.
Beyond food and size, many fans have noted a more muted overall World Cup atmosphere across the U.S. compared to past tournaments they have attended, including the 2018 Russia World Cup and 2022 Qatar World Cup. Balogun, who attended both prior tournaments, explained that this low-key energy is just another part of American culture: soccer has never claimed the title of the country’s most popular sport, and it is currently competing for public attention with the ongoing Major League Baseball season and ongoing conversation around the U.S.’s most-watched sport, American football.
That competition between major sports even created an unexpected highlight for two England fans visiting New York City. Jason Barnes and Harry Beckley, traveling from Portsmouth, accidentally stumbled into a massive street celebration in Times Square after the New York Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs to claim their first NBA championship in 53 years. “It’s the craziest celebration I have ever seen or even been a part of,” Barnes said. “We know basketball is huge in America, obviously not so much in the UK. It was unreal… I might even start following basketball now because of it.”
Unlike past World Cups where fans tend to stay close to match host cities and major coastal hubs, many international supporters this year are branching out into the American heartland to seek out one-of-a-kind “only in America” experiences. One group of Portuguese fans is heading to the Southern U.S., including Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas, to sample iconic regional cuisine. “We are gonna eat some more normal and more traditional American things like barbecue and maybe a seafood boil,” said group member Tomás Soares. “That’s the thing that like most of us are looking forward to.”
While many fans note that travel and accommodation prices in the U.S. are higher than they experienced at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, most agree the experience is well worth the cost. Baghdad, the Moroccan fan, summed up the widespread perspective: “You can make your own budget to come watch maybe one game or two games and have the experience with you for your whole life because it is not gonna happen again.”