The US can no longer win this year’s World Cup, but the country, and its brands, are still winning new fans.
Millions of soccer fans have traveled to watch the biggest event in sports, taking over not just the 16 host cities but many other towns along the way.
Locals in Lawrence, Kansas, started supporting Algeria after the team set up its training camp in the city. Boston established a sister-city partnership with Glasgow after kilted Scottish fans descended on the city last month. Some members of the “Tartan Army” hired yellow school buses to travel to games.
Such enthusiasm marks a shift from some of the animosity provoked by Donald Trump’s tariff plans and the war in Iran.
Although hosting this year’s World Cup has also put contentious aspects under the spotlight. Iran’s team complained of mistreatment after moving their training camp from Arizona to Tijuana amid visa issues, and a Somalian referee was turned away at the border.
Before Belgium beat the US 4-1 on Monday to knock the hosts out of the tournament, the game 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 then suspended, but Belgium 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 nearly $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 as much as $31,000.
When prices are so high, fans may be more motivated to make a proper vacation of their trip. Besides the usual landmarks, the range of host cities and the tournament’s five-week length have encouraged some fans to enjoy the everyday aspects of being in the US.
The novelty of Walmart
Last Friday morning, ahead of the Australian team’s game against Egypt, dozens of Aussie fans descended on a Walmart in Arlington, Texas.
Videos online showed them clad in yellow jerseys, chanting outside the store, “We’re going to Walmart.” Once inside, they were singing in the same way they might support their players.
The fans were making 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.
Ranch dressing is the hot new souvenir
The dressing proved so popular with visiting fans that some tried to take bottles home in their carry-on luggage, only to have them confiscated at airport security.
Last month, the Transportation Security Administration posted on X reminding World Cup tourists that ranch could only be packed in checked bags.
Philadelphia International Airport then said three of its stores would begin selling eight-ounce bottles of Hidden Valley Ranch after security, allowing travelers to buy them once they clear TSA.
“Did TSA take your liquid gold at security? We’ve got you covered!” the post said.
Paradies Lagardère, a travel retail firm, started selling ranch after noticing its popularity with 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 a little fun with global events like this,” said Justin Marlett, the company’s director of strategic marketing.
The Buc-ee’s experience
If you’re not familiar, Buc-ee’s is like a gas station turned up to 11. Mostly found in Texas and the South, these enormous “travel centers” average around 100 gas pumps but offer much more than fuel.
Buc-ee’s is famous for its freshly made barbecue sandwiches, brisket, homemade fudge, bakery items, rows of merchandise, spotless bathrooms, and Beaver Nuggets — the chain’s sweet caramel-coated corn snack.
For many visitors, it’s less like a gas station and more like a roadside theme park. There are some bargains, too, with fountain sodas starting at around $1 and breakfast burritos selling for under $5.
One Japanese tourist got over 55,000 likes on his TikTok video showing a Buc-ee’s, eating jerky, and admiring all the souvenirs related to the chain’s beaver mascot.
The Waffle House pilgrimage
Some fans have been following their team by taking a road trip between different stadiums — leading to some late-night stops at Waffle House.
“Freddy,” a German soccer fan who gained hundreds of thousands of followers posting on X about his World Cup travels, was one of them.
He and his friends stopped at a Waffle House at 1 a.m. “Great food, great prices, and friendly staff. 10/10, we will be coming back,” he posted.
The diner chain has embraced the tournament, too. Its downtown Atlanta location opened a World Cup pop-up selling Waffle House soccer jerseys and balls to capitalize on the influx of visiting fans.
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