Traveling to the United States for the World Cup: Prejudices and Surprises

John Merolla
10 hours ago
4 min read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7XzYZVpKz4

John Merolla

Reporter, Life News Today

While the 2026 World Cup turns the United States into a global showcase, thousands of foreign fans are discovering a face of the country that does not always match the image they receive from their places of origin. For many fans, the build-up was marked by warnings: guns, strict immigration controls, protests, neighborhoods to avoid and a different legal culture depending on the state. However, once at the destination, a significant part of the stories circulating on social networks point in another direction: visitors surprised by the daily friendliness, the organization of the events, the diversity of the cities and a greater sense of security than expected.

The contrast is interesting because it is not born of an absolute contradiction, but of two different ways of looking at the same country. On the one hand, there are governments, which publish prudent and formal recommendations for their citizens. On the other hand, there are the fans, who live an emotional, urban and sporting experience crossed by full stadiums, fan zones, volunteers, bars, internal trips and impromptu meetings with Americans.

The British government, for example, dedicated a specific page to the 2026 World Cup in its travel guide for the United States. It recalls that the Cup is played between June 11 and July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and recommends travelers download the official application of the tournament, review the entry requirements, getting insurance, plan transfers and considering that the host cities will be busier than usual. The guide also mentions United States locations: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and the San Francisco area. It is not an alarmist message, but it is practical: do not improvise.

Australia also keeps the United States at the "normal precautions" level, but its guidance adds an important nuance for those arriving from countries with lower gun circulation advising that violent crime and gun crime are more common in the United States than in Australia. In addition, it warns that medical costs are extremely high and that immigration authorities have broad powers to decide whether a person can enter. New Zealand is even more cautious, recommending "increased caution" for threats of terrorism, civil unrest, higher incidence of violent crime and gun ownership over its own country.

France, on the other hand, offers a more balanced reading. Its Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs describes the United States as one of the safest countries, although it also has reminders that in large cities it is advisable to apply basic rules of prudence, find out about areas to avoid and pay attention to the times and places where you walk. Germany, for its part, focuses on legal and migratory issues, such as restrictions that may affect the use of Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) for travelers who were in Cuba after January 2021. Spain reminds people of documentary requirements for tourists, such as the biometric passport, and invites people to register in its Travelers Registry to facilitate aid in case of emergency.

The sum of these recommendations builds a clear picture that for foreign governments, traveling to the United States for the World Cup is reasonable, but it should not be done with the logic of an impromptu trip. It is advisable to have papers in order, health insurance, available reserves, identification, budget for transfers and knowledge of local laws. In the United States, the legal drinking age is 21, street drinking rules vary by city and state, and drug laws can lead to confusion because something allowed at the state level may still be illegal at the federal level.

The striking point is that, in the face of this precautionary preview, many visitors seem to be finding a friendlier experience than expected. United States and European media recorded a wave of videos and posts of World Cup tourists fascinated by details of daily life: the ice machines, the school buses, the huge supermarkets, the giant glasses, tailgating in the parking lots and the local custom of chatting with strangers. Vox interpreted it as a cultural attraction that arises from everyday life and social hospitality.

Many fans arrive with an idea of a country shaped by news of shootings, political polarization, immigration crises and social conflicts. When direct contact is with a volunteer helping to find the train, a waiter recommending a dish or a stranger starting a conversation in a line, the perception changes. But the World Cup is showing a gap between the global image of the United States as a dangerous country and the everyday experience of many visitors. That gap doesn't eliminate the risks, but it puts them in context. Governments recommend prudence, not panic. Travelers recommend coming informed, not coming scared.

Traveling to the United States for the World Cup does not seem to be seen by other countries as a reckless adventure, but as a trip that requires preparation. The surprise is that, once the barrier of forms, controls and warnings has been overcome, many fans find a country that is more hospitable, diverse and enjoyable than they expected. At a time when America's international reputation is often crisscrossed by political tensions and negative news, the World Cup is functioning as a direct experience and providing an opportunity for the world not only to watch the United States on television, but to walk around it, talk about it and compare it with the previous idea it had in its suitcase.