World Cup Fails to Spark Interest in the US

Artists performed at the opening ceremony before the 2026 World Cup Group A football match between Mexico and South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. (Photo by Rodrigo OROPEZA / AFP)

Fans are turned off by ticket prices, some have been denied visas, and locals seem more interested in basketball. The 2026 World Cup is starting with little excitement in the United States.

The US team plays Paraguay on Friday in Los Angeles, but many Americans, including Donald Trump, might skip the match.

The US president will not attend, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will represent him at the game. Recently, Trump commented on ticket prices, saying he wouldn’t pay over $1,000 for the first match if he were just a regular fan.

Arvin Baines, a 26-year-old England fan from London, shared his thoughts with AFP in Washington. He agreed that ticket prices are a big problem. He and his friends booked flights to the US before tickets went on sale. Now, they are hoping to find some last-minute resale tickets since the official prices are too high for them.

“A lot of fans we know decided not to travel just because of the cost,” Baines said.

Thomas Shaw, a 40-year-old fan coming from Britain with his 10-year-old son, will attend Scotland’s first match in Boston on Saturday. They used loyalty points from a supporters’ group to buy their tickets but said it was too costly to attend more matches.

“I’ve got friends who applied for tickets through the ballots, didn’t get them, and some paid fortunes in the resale market, which I think is a scandal as well,” he told AFP in New Jersey. “I don’t think that’s right. I mean, football’s supposed to be for the fans.”

Meanwhile, Ivory Coast and Senegal will play without official fan groups for the first time due to US visa issues. “The supporters have cancelled the trip because the US government does not want to see supporters from certain countries, including Ivory Coast, on its soil,” said Julien Kouadio Adonis, president of Ivory Coast’s National Committee of Elephants Supporters.

The 1994 World Cup in the United States was a big hit, but Americans do not seem very interested in this tournament. This is especially true in New York, where Knicks jerseys are more common than soccer shirts.

“I think the Knicks have just taken away a lot of the excitement right now,” said Vanessa Whalen, owner of an English-style pub in Brooklyn called the Black Bull.

But if the US team advances to the knockout stages, she believes excitement will grow. “I think it’s gonna go crazy in New York.”

Excitement in co-hosting countries Mexico and Canada seems higher. Mexico City is filled with enthusiastic fans for their opening game on Thursday.

In the Westport district of Kansas City, home to Argentina and England, the World Cup has not drawn much interest from regulars at the Tin Roof bar just yet. “We don’t usually get soccer on TV but we expect a lot more than the usual number of customers for the next few weeks,” said waitress Gabrielle McLoughlin. “We’ll have plenty of special nights.”