World Cup tourists immerse themselves in American daily life

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has had a lot of on-field chatter on the internet, but one of the tournament’s best sidequests is happening far away from the stadium.

As fans around the world travel between host cities, off-field discovery has become one of the tournament’s most fascinating online trends. The 2026 World Cup will be held in 11 U.S. cities, nearly half of which are in the South. An additional 25 communities host national teams at basecamp practice areas, including Greensboro, Chattanooga, Columbus and Spokane.

In practice, that means visitors don’t just pass through the usual tourist hubs, but end up in grocery stores, gas stations, college towns, and chain restaurants, posting wide-eyed reactions to parts of American life that locals usually pass by without a second thought.

One of the people who broke out in this trend is a German fan named @FreddyLA7. His World Cup trip down south became a tour of Americana, amassing more than 600,000 followers in the process. Since arriving in Atlanta, he has recorded stops at Taco Bell, a Stranger Things filming site, Walmart, and Waffle House (which was a “10/10”).

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After hearing Ella Langley sing many times on local stations, he posted that the country singer became “basically the soundtrack” to his trip, which became so popular that he was invited to see her perform. He also met with the mayor of Houston and has received a lot of support online from Republican lawmakers.

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But @FreddyLA7 isn’t the only viral visitor. Swedish fan Elsa Thora treats ranch dressing, grocery store snacks and yellow school buses like great discoveries.

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A fan from the UK posted his first encounter with Erewhon and a high school football field that looked like it came right out of a “movie set.” Scottish fans in Boston embrace tailgates, and Japanese fans record bottomless chips and salsa. Irish fans are salivating over Raising Cane’s work. Even the size of American stadiums is part of their appeal.

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Not all World Cup travel experiences are so easily romanticized. From price gouging that even Mexico’s president has warned about, to disruptions to crowded transportation systems and reports of lost tickets, many fans and lawmakers have problems with FIFA.

Access is also a barrier, with fans, family members and even referees from some of the countries that have qualified having trouble getting into the country. Cape Verde goalkeeper Josimar Díaz, nicknamed Bosinha, shot to fame (and gained more than 8 million followers on Instagram) after making seven saves in Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Spain. After the shocking match, he said his mother was unable to attend due to visa issues and costs.

Still, those frustrations didn’t stop the off-field experience from becoming a defining element of the tournament. The World Cup runs until July 19, so there’s plenty of time for more visitors to discover America’s unofficial tourist attractions and post about them.