Impressions from the U.S, Canada, and Mexico  Soccer Below Skyscrapers

Is North America caught up in soccer fever? And how political is the biggest World Cup tournament of all time? We gathered voices and opinions from the host countries — USA, Canada, and Mexico — in a snapshot that ranges from contagious enthusiasm to a shrug of indifference.

On a Saturday in mid-May, I noticed a display of World Cup merchandise in the corner of our local drugstore. Everything, from brightly colored beach towels to drinking cups, is already marked down by 25%. Not a good sign for the World Cup in the USA. And indeed, mass enthusiasm is hard to find. Everyone I approach in the small town of Somers, New York, either shrugs or looks at me blankly when I bring up the upcoming World Cup. “Which sport?” asks the cashier at the supermarket. “Doesn’t interest me,” says the clerk at the post office, pointing to a Green Bay Packers football pennant he has hung on his wall. 

U.S. Teenagers Turn to Soccer as a Career Path

The cliché of soccer as the underdog of American sports holds true in my surroundings. Yet, in true U.S. fashion, it coexists with the opposite extreme: James Brinn, Shane Carroll, and Joe Bojaj are passionate soccer players. The Somers High School students have been playing for their local soccer club for over a decade and have been on the school team since ninth grade. Soccer careers here are typically planned as early as sixth grade — college coaches receive videos of players, and athletes compete in special tournaments designed to attract the attention of scouts. The three students share the dream of turning professional and are eagerly looking forward to the World Cup. “I’m going to see a game in Los Angeles at the Rose Bowl,” says James (18). Shane (16) has tickets for the England vs. Panama match. Both hope the USA will win, but also cheer for other countries like the Netherlands and Germany. “Our goalkeeper is German-American. He inspired me to become a Germany fan,” says Joe Bojaj (17).  FC Somers club chairman Ernie Goodwin, however, strikes a critical note: “I think that what the U.S. is doing to several teams, officials, players, etc. is disgraceful. I wish I could say that I was surprised. Politics should definitely play a role in this tournament. Sport is a powerful way to spread a message.  Saying that one should keep politics out of sport is an inherently political message in and of itself. Celtic, the team that I support, has a following that is proudly political. I think that the fans should make their feelings known about the disgraceful administration in the U.S. and the modern-day concentration camps. I’m sure those in Germany will see the echoes between the U.S. and Germany in the 1930s.” “I am rooting for the U.S. and whoever is playing England. I think the French team has the best chance of winning, as long as Mbappé contributes defensively,” is the prediction of the die-hard Celtic fan. He is very proud of his local club. FC Somers has such strong youth teams that they compete at the national level against other successful clubs. “I also love that soccer is a thinking person’s sport and a sport that is available to the working class. All you need is a ball,” he concludes. Ernie will not be attending any matches himself. He considers the ticket prices to be outright extortion. 

The World Cup Sparks Mixed Feelings

His view is shared by Arminia Bielefeld fan Dennis Kastrup (49), who has lived in Canada for ten years. 
“At first, many people wanted to come visit me, but in the end, nobody is coming,” says the freelance journalist and founder of Life Story Audio, a service that helps people record their life stories. “I have mixed feelings going into the World Cup. On one hand, I was excited when Canada was selected as a host country, but World Cup matches have simply become too expensive. By the time you factor in tickets, travel, parking, a hotel, and food, you’re easily spending a thousand dollars on a single game. I’m done with that. Soccer should be affordable for everyone. On the other hand, once it kicks off, I’m looking forward to watching the games with friends here. I usually follow European soccer, and because of the time difference, the matches are always at noon or in the afternoon. Now they’ll be on in the evenings too. That’s going to be great.” The political dimension of the World Cup does bother him, though: “As soccer fans, we all think Gianni Infantino is awful. The way he cozies up to Trump and kisses his feet is truly terrible. The soccer experience in the USA is not going to be pleasant. Everyone thinks the halftime show at the final is a terrible idea. But in Mexico and Canada it’s sure to be fantastic,” he says. He does not believe Germany will win the tournament. 

A very different tone comes from New York City, where Lisa Hollenbach from the German Consulate General speaks of the event in entirely positive terms: “In New York City every country has its own fan bar, which is truly unique. I’m convinced the city is looking forward to welcoming soccer fans from around the world.”

She acknowledges that New Yorkers are still caught up in basketball fever in early June, with the Knicks winning the NBA championship again after over 50 years — blue and orange jerseys dominating the subway. 

Mexico Caught Up in Soccer Fever

Soccer enthusiasm currently appears to be greatest in Mexico. My colleague Angélica Cruz Aguilar from Mexico City reports large billboards and merchandise stands everywhere: “The topic comes up constantly in conversation — whether at the office, in cafés, or on the street. The city is full of anticipation. I’ve also read that many hotels are fully booked and demand for tickets is enormous, making them very hard to come by,” she says. She herself is looking forward to the watch parties that the Goethe-Institut Mexico is co-hosting. 

The mood at the Goethe-Institut Chicago is equally upbeat. The entire team went on a staff outing to the friendly match between Germany and the USA.  My colleague Denise Elsman was there too: “Surprisingly, I saw far more Germany and Bundesliga jerseys than USA jerseys. German was also widely spoken in the stands, which was, of course, a wonderful feeling. 
At the same time, the enthusiasm for the US team inside the stadium was enormous. What particularly impressed me was the reaction to an American goal: fireworks went off immediately, 'Free Bird' blasted over the speakers, and the stadium announcer whipped the crowd into a frenzy with boundless energy. That mix of sporting event and show is something you really only experience in the USA. 
For me, it was fascinating to experience both perspectives at once. I grew up with German culture but have lived in the USA for many years. At a match like this, you really feel how at home you are in both worlds,” says the 36-year-old, who has an American father and a German mother and was born in Nuremberg. She wants Germany to win the World Cup and happily wears a Germany jersey: “People constantly stop me to ask if I’m excited about the World Cup. It often leads to lovely conversations about how far Germany will go and whether they might even be in contention for the title again. You can already feel that excitement and curiosity about the tournament, and I’ve noticed that Germany jerseys are already sold out in many stores around Chicago,” she says. 

With her help, I was also lucky enough to get my hands on two jerseys signed by Leon Goretzka and David Raum. The two national team players met with elementary school classes at the Goethe-Institut Chicago. 
Their boundless enthusiasm was on full display in the ARD Tagesschau news broadcast. For anybody who doubts whether genuine excitement for the World Cup exists in the United States, look to the next generation. They are already soccer-obsessed, and there’s no sign that will change anytime soon.