The U.S. has finally fielded a soccer team worthy of making this World Cup unforgettable. For one summer, American football has ditched the helmets, huddles, and fourth downs.
Since Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival in 2024, the USMNT has been gearing up for soccer’s biggest tournament on home turf, and the results are showing. They dominated Group D, overcoming Paraguay and Australia, thanks to standout performances from Folarin Balogun, Weston McKennie, and Chris Richards.
Even with a narrow 3-2 loss to Turkey in a match where several key players were rested, the tournament’s start has been encouraging. Their next challenge comes from Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.
Though the World Cup is co-hosted by their country, many American fans remain scattered across cities and time zones, watching the action from afar—from Tangier to Tokushima—and finding pieces of home along the way.
The Athletic sought out Americans around the globe to explore how they’re experiencing a tournament that feels both intimately close and impossibly distant.
Tokushima, Japan
While Mark Cotter’s friends back home revel in bars, watch parties, and stadiums, he follows the action in the dead of night in Tokushima on Shikoku Island, monitoring their celebrations on Instagram as he watches the USMNT on Japanese television.
“It’s disappointing to not be there while my home country hosts the World Cup,” he says. Cotter, 29, moved from Chicago to teach English at a high school. He invites American friends and fellow soccer enthusiasts over to watch games, squeezing the rest of the tournament into his lesson plans and school breaks.
Seeing his friends attend matches via Instagram only adds to his longing. “I could easily find 20 people I know at a game if I checked my social media right now,” he notes.
Cotter recalls the excitement surrounding the U.S. team in 2014, when they were eliminated by Belgium in extra time in the round of 16, but he senses this year’s tournament carries a much bigger weight.
“The turnout for that game against Belgium was unprecedented for men’s soccer,” Cotter reflects. “Now, it feels like the fanbase has multiplied immensely. It’s amazing.”
Japan boasts its own vibrant World Cup atmosphere. Cotter’s colleagues and students closely follow the national team, and Premier League clubs are particularly popular among teenagers.
“For the first time, it feels like the U.S. has the talent to compete directly with other teams rather than relying solely on hard work,” he says. “I genuinely hope they reach the quarter-finals.”
Madrid, Spain
In Madrid, fifteen Americans and five Australians pack into a living room, eyes glued to a TV showing a match happening 5,000 miles away.
It’s a unique gathering in a city steeped in soccer culture that allows Stanton Marcum and his fellow expatriates to reconnect with home.
“Soccer is everywhere—from matches in bars to T-shirts on the streets,” Marcum shares with The Athletic.
Having moved to the city from Seattle two years ago, this Sounders fan’s love for the game has deepened. “At my kids’ school, we have soccer matches with other parents every Friday morning, where I’ve made many international friends,” he adds.
“We enjoy the thrill of playing, then head to work before meeting again for drinks and matches.”
He organized a watch party for his U.S. and Australian friends to view the group stage match between the two nations, scheduled for 9 p.m. local time. However, given that the game was hosted in his hometown, he felt a pang of missing out.
“I saw videos of friends marching to the stadium past my old neighborhood, which definitely gave me FOMO,” he admits.
“There’s been a lot of political controversy surrounding the U.S. lately, which sometimes dims your pride in being American, especially abroad. However, watching people from around the world appreciate things you once took for granted has revitalized that pride.”
Vienna, Austria
In Vienna, the World Cup buzz is palpable, with national-team jerseys visible on every street corner, bar matches, and local watch parties. However, Nick Silvestri hasn’t encountered anyone else donning a USMNT jersey.
“I know many Americans here, but I doubt anyone is as intensely focused on it as I am,” he comments.
Silvestri, 29, relocated from Southern California in 2021 and has been a devoted follower of the USMNT since attending his first game at age six. His love for LA Galaxy remains steadfast, despite some lackluster performances. “I still wake up at 2 a.m. to catch their games, even when the football is at its worst,” he jokes.
He hopes this home World Cup will transform Americans’ relationship with soccer. “In the UK, you can chat with any taxi driver about football. The U.S. simply isn’t at that level yet,” he explains. “I see people attending soccer watch parties who would never have considered it before. With a bit of luck and hard work, we could take it all. I just want to see them play quality football.”
Tangier, Morocco
As the U.S. prepared for its opening match, Tangier was already asleep, with local bars closed and the clock striking 2 a.m. Matt Van Dis tuned in from his living room with friends.
Originally from Michigan, Van Dis has lived abroad since 2012, working in international education. Living in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Morocco has enhanced his understanding of how soccer transcends the U.S.
Even if he had stayed in Michigan, he’d likely have been hours away from a match venue. While he misses watching games with friends back home, the community he has built in Tangier makes the tournament feel less remote.
This is further amplified by Morocco’s vibrant football culture. Van Dis recalls being there as Morocco advanced to the semi-finals four years ago, witnessing the jubilation in the streets following their 1-0 victory over Portugal.
“It was pure madness and so much fun. When Morocco does well, it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced—it’s a source of immense pride for the country,” he reflects.
Would he consider heading back home to watch if the USMNT goes deeper in the tournament? “The World Cup presents a unique chance to showcase a side of the U.S. beyond what’s typically highlighted in the news,” he says.
“It may seem like a hefty price, but it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a knockout-stage game in the U.S.,” he estimates he’d be willing to spend between $1,000 and $2,000 for the trip. “Reaching the quarter-finals would be incredible; the semi-finals would be a dream.”
Mexico City, Mexico
In Mexico City, Mexicans and Americans find themselves cheering each other on for a change.
“Whenever Mexico wins, I can feel the vibrations through my bed as people pour into the streets to celebrate,” shares Dan DeFossey, who lives near the Angel of Independence.
Originally from Long Island, DeFossey moved to Mexico City in 2009, falling in love with soccer along the way. “Like many Americans, I played as a child but evolved into other sports,” he admits.
“Soccer is worshipped here, helping me reconnect with the game and follow the USMNT.” DeFossey now manages a bar that attracts up to 2,000 fans during watch parties for both USMNT and Mexico games.
“We’ve faced our challenges, but right now, there’s a sense of unity. The American community appreciates Mexican culture while holding onto our pride,” he explains.
For DeFossey, it still feels like a home tournament—matches taking place right in his backyard and the world converging on the city he now calls home.
“In the U.S., it may feel like just another day. Many of my friends back home are unaware that the World Cup is even happening. But here, the energy is electric; it permeates everything.”
London, England
“It gets crazy in here,” Leo exclaims, a bartender at Passyunk Avenue, one of several American sports bars in London.
While soccer is not always the main focus—he recalls the uproar during the NBA Finals when New York Knicks fans cheered for their first title since 1973—on this day, basketball jerseys make way for USMNT shirts.
When The Star-Spangled Banner plays, over a hundred Americans halt their conversations and join in a united chorus.
“I come here whenever I feel homesick,” says Miami-born Trent Hudson, surrounded by American flags and banners. “It’s comforting to have a place that feels so quintessentially American.”
The atmosphere is more than just the decor. Familiar accents circulate, strangers bond over drinks, and supporters from various sporting backgrounds unite behind the USMNT.
Peter arrived from Boston the day before and is experiencing his first World Cup match. He came to Passyunk hoping to connect with other Americans and ended up watching alongside two new friends he had just met.
“I’ve never been particularly passionate about soccer, but this environment has really drawn me in,” Leo remarks, pausing mid-pour as the USMNT mounts another attack. He shares the crowd’s palpable thrill as Sergiño Dest’s shot leads to a collective gasp.
