1 day ago
The 2026 World Cup features 104 matches successful 16 cities crossed Canada, Mexico and nan USA, from Vancouver to Mexico City and San Francisco to Boston. Before, passim and aft nan tourney we’ll beryllium proceeding from fans successful those cities astir their experiences – immoderate shared and immoderate different – successful our “My World Cup” series. Here immoderate of our correspondents stock their first thoughts.
Atlanta
I’m overmuch little excited than successful 1994, erstwhile nan World Cup was held successful nan US. It feels for illustration an arena for nan rich | now. It would costs $2,000 for maine to spell to a group shape lucifer pinch my woman and 2 kids. None of those games is worthy that, and nan knockout stages will costs importantly more.
If I’m conscionable watching connected TV, it mightiness arsenic good beryllium connected nan different broadside of nan world, which is simply a shame because 1994 had an astonishing effect connected maine arsenic a 14-year-old. I wish my kids and nan metropolis could acquisition that excitement. In 1994, less group successful nan US were alert of nan tournament, but less Americans will get to acquisition it unrecorded this time.
Most group successful Atlanta are apathetic astir nan World Cup. People who attraction are disenchanted by summons prices; those who don’t are not moreover talking astir it. The news rhythm does not connection immoderate oxygen for it – isolated from to punctual everyone astir nan value gouging.
I dream Fifa loses it garment connected it and group do not recreation to nan US aliases salary nan exorbitant summons prices. I besides dream nan expanded format backfires and group don’t tune successful to nan first round. I expect it will beryllium akin to Qatar, pinch half-empty stadiums but plentifulness of other games to make revenue. Once nan past 16 begins, nan remainder of nan world will eagerly watch nan competitory portion of nan tournament. I ideate nan US will get retired of their group and suffer against nan first decent guidance they meet (much for illustration Qatar). Kyle
Boston
With truthful overmuch going connected successful nan state and astir nan world – overmuch of it distressing – I americium uncovering it difficult to make a batch of enthusiasm for nan tournament. In 1994 I attended each nan games astatine Foxborough, including Diego Maradona’s crippled for Argentina against Nigeria successful nan group shape and nan Italy v Spain quarter-final. Back past my excitement was sky-high: it was a life ambition to acquisition a World Cup successful personification and I figured it would ne'er hap again.
This clip around, possibly because it’s 2nd clip around, I americium much jaded. However, I americium judge erstwhile it starts I’ll get caught up successful pursuing nan action, including watching games connected TV. I americium looking guardant to world visitors astatine nan museums wherever I activity part-time; nary uncertainty I americium successful for immoderate good-natured ribbing astir nan US squad and their mediocre prospects.
I won’t beryllium attending immoderate games. The tickets are outrageously overpriced and nan mechanisms for buying them were conscionable excessively byzantine. I don’t consciousness overmuch of a buzz. That whitethorn alteration arsenic nan tourney gets person and arsenic nan upwind improves. We did big a pre-tournament friends – Brazil v France – which was very good attended. There is simply a ample Brazilian organization and thing seems to diminish their enthusiasm aliases optimism.
News astir nan tourney has tended to attraction connected negatives, successful peculiar nan effect connected traffic. The stadium is successful Foxborough, astir 30 miles extracurricular nan city. There are trains – and they scheme to beef up nan work – but not capable for everybody who will want to usage them. They person trim down connected parking adjacent to nan stadium successful consequence to complaints from nan town. The town, nan New England Patriots, nan State of Massachusetts and Fifa only precocious reached an statement connected postulation and parking. It has nan imaginable to beryllium an disfigured mess.
I look guardant to nan World Cup each 4 years. I’ve watched each 1 of them since, arsenic a nine-year-old, I watched nan 1966 World Cup last pinch my dad. I ever thought of it arsenic nan world’s premier sporting event, moreover much truthful than nan Olympics. I americium judge that immoderate cynicism and weariness I americium emotion will autumn distant erstwhile nan first games footwear off. So, I americium hoping for bully football, a bully ambiance astatine games, a fewer surprises and immoderate caller stars. And please nary co-opting nan games to provender a governmental schedule – yes Donald Trump, this intends you. David Achenbach
Dallas
I was truthful excited until nan summons process and prices came out. I emotion nan sport, will travel nan full point and would emotion to be games, but it has priced maine retired of what I thought would beryllium a once-in-a-lifetime chance. The buildup has been muted and apathetic successful Dallas: hardly immoderate signs astir and not overmuch section promotion yet. It conscionable doesn’t look to beryllium a large deal. I person not heard of immoderate large nationalist teams choosing to guidelines themselves successful nan area, which is understandable considering it will beryllium astatine slightest 35C (95F) successful precocious June and July. Given nan prices, nan upwind and nan governmental turmoil, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity seems not truthful worthy it.
I’m conscionable hoping for an incident free-tournament. I don’t want world aliases nationalist authorities to person immoderate spotlight. I want awesome games and for our state to showcase what erstwhile made america great. I would for illustration nan US squad to make nan quarter-finals and for nan tourney to beryllium different springboard to motorboat nan game’s fame here. But my hopes and expectations are connected other ends of nan spectrum. Andrew
Guadalajara
I was looking guardant to nan World Cup being connected my doorstep and was hoping to spell to a game. But summons prices are ridiculous. Most group present gain betwixt 10,000 and 30,000 pesos a period (between £425 and £1,275).
For various reasons location is simply a monolithic deficiency of enthusiasm. There is increasing anti-US emotion here; location is interest astir whether fans will beryllium capable to recreation to games fixed visa bans; location is simply a precocious level of support for Iran; it feels arsenic if nan World Cup has been hijacked by nan US; and politically Fifa appears to beryllium bowing to nan US. It is difficult to find anyone promoting nan World Cup. Zero excitement.
We emotion our shot and nan temper will amended person to nan tournament, but this World Cup is tainted and successful my sentiment nan games should person been moved to Canada and Mexico nan infinitesimal Donald Trump came to power. I dream nan games successful nan US person minimal crowds and that group protestation against nan measurement nan full point is being handled. This is not a World Cup that is bringing nan world together. It’s 1 that proves shot is mired successful governmental agendas: a money-making instrumentality that ignores existent fans. The only point I tin opportunity is anyone visiting games present will beryllium treated pinch kindness and respect. They will beryllium safe and welcomed. Heather Chambers
Houston
I was highly excited astir nan World Cup coming to Houston. Having 7 World Cup games connected my doorstep seemed for illustration a dream. But my enthusiasm has been dampened somewhat by summons prices, nan trouble of getting clasp of them, and nan dilution of value by including excessively galore teams. ‘Nosebleed’ seats for Saudi Arabia v Cape Verde costs much than $200 each. It’s a joke.
The sad point is, my emotion of shot will astir apt mean I salary complete nan likelihood for tickets. I’ll astir apt wound nan slug and salary astronomical prices connected nan resale marketplace for England’s crippled successful Dallas. I’ve lived present for much than 25 years and I’m improbable to get nan opportunity to watch England successful a World Cup crippled successful Texas again.
There is immoderate excitement bubbling nether successful Houston but it’s subdued compared pinch what I anticipated. The athletics has boomed successful nan US complete nan past mates of decades, and Houston is nary exception, but it’s still a metropolis much willing successful American football, shot and basketball. There are a fewer signs of nan tourney coming present – they person dressed up immoderate areas pinch a World Cup theme) and location person been immoderate infrastructure improvements – but I don’t deliberation nan metropolis really knows what is coming. The infrastructure of nan fourth-biggest metropolis successful nan US whitethorn buckle nether nan strain of nan further tourists. Expect dense traffic. Ian Sherman
Kansas City
When I learned Kansas City was a big city, I was ecstatic and proud but besides sad because my precocious relative Grant and our parents, who died either broadside of nan pandemic, are not present to stock nan joy. Now, while I’m still proud of my metropolis being connected nan world shape (and other proud we will beryllium nan guidelines campy for 4 nationalist teams: England, Argentina, nan Netherlands and Algeria), I americium concerned astir nan authorities of our nation, nan truth nan US has bombed Iran, and Gianni Infantino’s bizarre venality toward our president.
I’m proud to show disconnected my city, but deliberation visitors from overseas mightiness beryllium shocked astatine really acold isolated things are, really car-bound we are, and nan deficiency of nationalist transit infrastructure. I interest astir world events affecting nan tournament, sky-high summons prices and, frankly and embarrassingly, nan preponderance of guns successful American cities; there was a wide shooting during nan Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebrations, crossed nan thoroughfare from wherever nan instrumentality show will be.
My precocious relative is truthful powerfully tied to each things World Cup, it causes maine moments of heavy grief; but besides a desire to do what I tin to create affirmative experiences of nan world’s biggest shot competition. I dislike that Grant isn’t present to spot this, and I lament nan absence of everything he’d person written astir it. But I besides dream and believe our location municipality will do him proud.
There is an aerial of what I would telephone wary excitement successful Kansas City. The exorbitant summons prices will support galore locals retired of nan stadium, but we’ll battalion nan sports bars and organization viewing areas. Kansas City group emotion to hype wherever they live, and section businesses are excited for what could beryllium a lucrative time. More than anything, we want nan experiences Kansas City contributes to nan World Cup to beryllium free of unit and to beryllium looked upon by nan world organization arsenic unexpectedly amazing. We want visitors to consciousness arsenic if they’ve discovered us, that we’ve welcomed them, and that they want to travel back. In troubled times, world sporting events person nan imaginable to bring america together successful joyful ways, and don’t we each request that sometimes? Eric Wahl
Los Angeles
I’m excited but conflicted. My first due World Cup was successful 1994 and, since moving to nan United States successful 2004 and adopting this arsenic my country, I person dreamed astir going to a crippled successful my location city. Although, fixed nan glaring anti-immigrant authorities successful nan US and nan warfare against Iran, it’s not awesome timing.
On apical of that Fifa is pricing retired existent fans . I went to nan 2010 and 2014 World Cups and had a blast, spending $100-200 connected tickets. It’s ridiculous that spending much than $600 for a group crippled is considered normal – and that’s earlier nan ridiculous value of parking, which astir group will person to consider, fixed location is very small nationalist carrier to nan stadium successful LA.
I’d for illustration to return my woman and children, but nan costs of tickets whitethorn not make that possible. It feels arsenic if nan tourney is catering to those consenting to salary immoderate value to be a World Cup without knowing thing astir nan athletics aliases nan competition. My dream is that nan tourney is accessible to much than conscionable nan group who tin spend it, that it helps turn nan crippled among nan younger generation, and that group who recreation from overseas person an easy clip getting to nan games and person a awesome experience, without having to interest astir migration enforcement profiling them. Walid
Mexico City
I wasn’t keen connected Mexico joining nan North American bid from nan commencement because it felt arsenic if nan US was utilizing america to make their bid consciousness inclusive, but we were only getting scraps. The determination to play conscionable 13 of nan 104 matches successful Mexico feels insulting arsenic this is simply a football-loving state that has already organised 2 awesome World Cups.
Being portion of this World Cup successful peculiar feels wrong. Under nan Trump management nan US is poised to beryllium 1 of nan worst ever hosts. It is their responsibility to person unfastened doors to fans from each complete nan world and yet they are forbidding citizens of respective qualified countries from visiting, aliases astatine slightest putting obstacles successful their way, not to mention they will beryllium nan first big that is bombing 1 of nan participating nations. Mexico has nary enemies and we invited group from anywhere, truthful being portion of this discriminatory World Cup feels wrong.
This is astir apt nan worst Fifa has ever been, and though nan World Cup will hap here, it feels for illustration astir group will simply not beryllium a portion of it. The summons prices and nan strategy to bargain them is abusive and retired of scope for 90% of people. I don’t cognize who will beryllium going to nan stadium. Most group I cognize cannot dream to salary nan prices and nan ones who tin simply garbage to beryllium a portion of this abuse. I dream nan stadiums are quiet truthful they don’t do this ever again.
I’ll watch connected TV (although nan accrued number of teams makes it consciousness for illustration astir matches don’t really matter) and group tin acquisition nan World Cup astatine instrumentality fests, but we’ve had them astatine each different tournament. Going to El Zócalo to watch a lucifer will beryllium nary different to our acquisition of Russia 2018 aliases Qatar 2022. The matches will beryllium successful nan Azteca, but they could beryllium successful Turkey, New Zealand aliases Antarctica – nan acquisition for astir of nan Mexicans will beryllium nan same. The metropolis is trying difficult to beforehand nan tournament, but I haven’t felt excitement successful nan streets.
Finally, it is simply a wasted opportunity for our metropolis successful position of planning. Our authorities has not made thing retired of it. I unrecorded adjacent to nan Azteca stadium, an area pinch a large population, yet poorly connected to nan remainder of nan city. The World Cup was nan chance to build a subway successful Coapa, to link america to nan remainder of nan system, but nan metropolis authorities abandoned immoderate specified plan. They person made immoderate quick, last-minute improvements but they will not use locals successful nan agelong term.
The World Cup has been a nuisance successful regular life, a wasted opportunity successful nan agelong term, an maltreatment of nan group who should bask nan event,, an reproach to a football-loving state that has been treated for illustration an afterthought, and it is an embarrassment to co-host a tourney soiled by Fifa and Trump. Francisco Fontano Patán
Miami
I’m very excited but don’t cognize anyone going to a crippled arsenic nan costs progressive is conscionable outrageous. I dream to bask nan tourney successful a instrumentality zone. There is not overmuch of a buzz successful Miami. A batch of section bars are still not alert of nan tourney and its importance. I’m hoping it goes disconnected smoothly without incident. This is simply a very worrying clip successful this state for everyone. Geoff Willerton
Monterrey
The World Cup is nan astir important sporting arena successful nan world truthful I americium really excited, but I person mixed feelings. Most group connected nan thoroughfare can’t spend a ticket, aliases a caller jersey. This tourney feels distant from mean citizens. Fifa has turned it into a merchandise for nan few. At slightest regular group tin stitchery successful nationalist parks to watch games, creating unofficial instrumentality fests.
I’ll effort to be 1 of nan games successful my location town, Monterrey, arsenic they are a spot much affordable than successful Mexico City. People aren’t thrilled and World Cup fever isn’t arsenic coming arsenic I’d like. But arsenic nan tourney gets person nan temper will improve. I dream Mexico’s squad tin put connected a bully shot exhibition. I don’t expect them to triumph nan tournament, but astatine slightest to do a bully job. In wide I dream nan arena brings immoderate affirmative economical effect. Jose Galindo
New York/New Jersey
Like astir large events successful New York, it will beryllium mostly ignored (sadly). There’s conscionable excessively overmuch going connected successful this metropolis for anyone to attraction astir a fewer “soccer” games retired astatine MetLife Stadium, which is really successful New Jersey (and feels a world distant from New York City). Even erstwhile we hosted nan Super Bowl successful 2014 you would hardly person noticed. I’m excited to be a mates of Australia games successful San Francisco and Vancouver, but deliberation it will beryllium a large ‘nothing burger’ successful New York City.
It will beryllium nan aforesaid arsenic immoderate different time successful New York, wherever it’s a cardinal miles a infinitesimal and thousands of events tin drawback your attention. I don’t deliberation anyone knows aliases cares that we’ll soon beryllium hosting a World Cup final. That said, my large dream for nan tourney is that we person peace, love, harmony and everyone getting on and having a bully time. We request it! Parker
Philadelphia
I was excited, but my liking has steadily declined owed to nan summons prices, nan peace prize and nan emergence of ICE. Maybe it was easier to disregard nan venality of Fifa erstwhile nan title was further away, aliases possibly it’s really sewage worse. I was initially readying to be games, but nan summons prices and wide ennui mean it’s unlikely. I’m waiting to spot what nan instrumentality zones look like, but my anticipation is that it will astir apt beryllium different rate drawback (and excessively basking to beryllium retired drinking for hours).
In Philadelphia location are immoderate posters astir and immoderate merchandise present and there, but not overmuch excitement. It’s not thing that comes up overmuch successful speech – group often inquire which “EPL” squad I support erstwhile they perceive my accent, but I don’t callback anyone mentioning nan World Cup. I’m successful 2 minds astir nan tournament: half of maine wants to bask nan games, nan different half wants to spot nan full point autumn isolated truthful Fifa are not encouraged to support bleeding nan crippled barren of joy. James Powell
San Francisco
I emotion nan World Cup deeply, grew up watching games pinch my family, and will almost surely beryllium watching each azygous crippled this year. But nan statement I thought would descend connected our region doesn’t look to beryllium coming. My friends planned to spell to nan instrumentality zones together but we mightiness not person immoderate instrumentality zones. I besides thought we’d beryllium capable to be astatine slightest 1 game, but nan prices are conscionable excessively high. I’m not consenting to salary $250 to watch Austria v Jordan from seats successful nan stratosphere. If summons prices driblet substantially, I would emotion to be nan Paraguay v Turkey lucifer because Turkish fans are incredible.
I really wanted my friends to “feel” nan World Cup. I wanted them to travel subordinate maine and make friends pinch Paraguayans, Algerians, etc. But who is moreover coming? It won’t beryllium nan benignant of World Cup wherever you locomotion down nan thoroughfare and cognize you’re successful a big city.
The astir infuriating point is really organisers are prioritising sponsors and VIPs complete fans. I don’t deliberation American sports executives understand nan World Cup aliases why it matters connected a basal level. Our big metropolis committee CEO said nan Super Bowl was nan arena they were preparing for nan most, and that nan World Cup is conscionable a tier below. If we had arena organisers who understood soccer, they would do everything successful their powerfulness to transmission nan power from fans and make a World Cup atmosphere. Instead, they’ll astir apt conscionable put connected immoderate concerts.
A batch of group aren’t into shot and don’t cognize nan World Cup is this summer, ne'er mind successful our backmost yard. Others do cognize but don’t care. For nan group who do care, it’s excessively costly for them to attend. Everyone is depressed by nan summons prices. It’s worse than if nan World Cup was halfway crossed nan world. It’s here, but we can’t moreover return part. That’s heartbreaking. Ali
Seattle
My full family is super-excited astir nan World Cup coming to Seattle. We be Seattle Sounders games, travel nan city’s sports teams and each 4 of america – my woman and I and our 2 daughters – applied to volunteer. The stadium is downtown and I will beryllium attending nan instrumentality zones pinch my daughters arsenic overmuch arsenic possible. My woman and I are from Bristol successful nan UK, truthful people we will support England and nan USA, but we precocious vacationed successful Curaçao, truthful a spot of our hearts will beryllium pinch that mini island’s team.
Seattle is simply a very sports-oriented metropolis pinch respective master teams. Seattle Sounders person been playing present since 1974 pinch a coagulated group of fans. The organization understands shot and follows nan game. Unsurprisingly, nan temper is very positive, pinch banners astir municipality ramping up nan energy.
On a superior note, information plans are being put successful spot for nan games. The Seahawks won nan Super Bowl this twelvemonth and nan resulting title march drew a crowd of almost a cardinal fans to downtown: bully believe for World Cup arena security. I dream fans successful each nan big cities person a super-fun time, and I’m looking guardant to gathering fans from different countries and showing disconnected what a awesome spot Seattle is. Roger Paul Probert-Baker
Toronto
I’m very excited. Toronto is simply a unsocial metropolis arsenic each nations are represented present and during nan World Cup our streets, bars, homes, backmost yards and stadiums are afloat of fans from each area of nan world. The World Cup was made for a metropolis for illustration Toronto. When Italy won it, a cardinal Italians flooded Little Italy successful nan city. Germans, Portuguese, Cameroonians, French, Brits, Scots and Mexicans will each participate successful friends title by honking their horns each clip 1 of their teams scores – and they will flood nan streets erstwhile they win. That’s astonishing to witness.
I unrecorded successful a Portuguese neighbourhood and they are excited to spot stars specified arsenic Ronaldo. Toronto lives and breathes World Cup shot and this twelvemonth it will explode. It’s a fun, beautiful game. I’m hoping each nan games are moved to Canada and Mexico! Peter Nazir Faiz
Vancouver
I became a shot instrumentality successful my teens and retrieve reasoning it would beryllium astonishing to unrecorded successful a World Cup big city. Now that I do, though, I’m not excited. The large things dampening my enthusiasm are really atrocious Fifa is, really monstrously ample nan tourney has become, and really costly and inconvenient this tourney is for big cities. I won’t beryllium going to games because summons prices are insane. I scheme to spell to nationalist viewings, though I’m not super-excited astir nan instrumentality festivals, which look for illustration a spot of a rate drawback contempt wide admittance being free. There’s astatine slightest 1 unofficial nationalist viewing area astatine Granville Island that I person precocious hopes for, though.
There is not overmuch anticipation successful Vancouver. The politicians and bureaucrats are each successful a tizzy, but nan belief I person is that nan mean Vancouverite is some mildly willing successful nan tourney and mildly irritated by nan postulation and transit inconvenience that will travel connected matchdays.
This is much a dream for nan US, wherever I grew up, but I dream nary 1 gets shot. My state of root is simply a powder keg correct now, and I don’t person a awesome woody of assurance successful nan expertise of US authorities to support fans safe, peculiarly astatine instrumentality festivals and places that are not portion of nan stadium experience. Ian Holliday
