When the 2026 World Cup began to loom over the United States, the first impression many journalists had was that the tournament was being eclipsed by other sporting spectacles.
John Bennett, who was covering New York at the time, noted that the city’s attention was still glued to the NBA finals, but the undercurrent of anticipation was beginning to surface.
The pulse of the host cities
Ian Dennis, reporting from Florida before stepping onto New York soil, described a surprisingly muted World Cup vibe, a stark contrast to the buzz he would later encounter in Atlanta.
Liz Conway was cautiously optimistic, watching diaspora communities in Philadelphia and Boston light up with chants and flags, signaling that the tournament was finding a foothold.
Sam Harris, initially skeptical that the World Cup would capture the public’s imagination, was later surprised by the surge of interest that followed the US men’s team’s early victories.
Alex Howell found himself drawn into tailgate parties with Brazilian fans in Houston, where the smell of grilled meat mingled with the rhythm of drums, turning the streets into a makeshift festival.
Gary Rose observed that once Americans latch onto a sporting event, they throw themselves wholeheartedly into it, a pattern that became evident as stadiums filled to capacity.
Neil Johnston, who toured several venues, described the atmosphere inside the arenas as brilliant, full of energy, and comparable to the most electrifying matches he had witnessed in Qatar and Russia.
Ian Dennis later reflected on the disparity of chanting across matches, noting that while some games erupted in coordinated cheers, others felt quieter, underscoring the uneven spread of enthusiasm.
Liz Conway summed up the overall feeling as fantastic and festival‑like, a sentiment echoed by Alex Howell when he spoke of a friendly atmosphere in Kansas City.
Gary Rose capped the coverage by comparing the World Cup experience favorably to Euro 2024, highlighting the unique blend of cultures that only a host‑nation can orchestrate.