By Rosalba O'Brien
NEW YORK, June 20 (Reuters) - Ahead of the World Cup, many international fans were sceptical of the idea of the U.S. as co-hosts for soccer's biggest tournament. There were worries over visa access, high costs, gun violence, a lack of local interest in the sport and more.
While those worries have not been entirely dispelled, as the tournament has got under way social media has been flooded with posts from fans visiting the country for the first time and discovering something more
positive - a distinctive culture of 24-hour retail, free soda refills, chicken wings dipped in ranch dressing and a warm welcome from Americans.
"I met these two gorgeous girls from Boston. It was her birthday, she was having cocktails. I bought her another one and they kept saying 'welcome to Boston, Massachusetts!'," said "Tartan Army" Scottish fan Gail Nicholl, in a Boston pub ahead of her team's first game against Haiti. "They loved us, we loved them ... Everyone is so friendly, so nice."
"Something new for me is how friendly and outgoing everyone is," said a Swiss fan from Zurich on a Reddit forum replete with praise from visiting tourists.
Whether such positive press can restore a reputation battered by an often confrontational government that has proudly proclaimed 'America First' and angered allies including Canada, Britain, Germany and more remains to be seen.
But, say sports analytics experts, it can make a real difference.
"The front porch of your house is the first thing a visitor experiences before they ever step inside," said Darin White, founder of Samford University's Sports Industry Program in Alabama and a former soccer coach.
"Sports serves that same function for cities, states, and countries. It is often the first meaningful, emotionally charged encounter someone has with a place they might otherwise never have thought much about."
Research has consistently indicated that hosting a major sports event can genuinely shift long-held stereotypes, he added.
OFF THE BEATEN PATH
What is particularly interesting about the 2026 World Cup is that it is exposing international visitors to places outside those normally frequented by tourists - not just New York, Los Angeles and Orlando, but Kansas City, Atlanta and Houston.
In Kansas City, Argentines - for whom eating "asado" barbecue is almost as central to the culture as soccer - gathered to try the local "dry rub" version of grilled meat.
"The Argentinean barbecue is my favourite. But this one is really good," said visiting Argentina supporter Cristian Gastes.
In Dallas, Germany fan Maximilian Kirch from Duesseldorf also tried barbecue - and showed off his new Texan cowboy hat. "Of course I'm wanting to experience more of it," he said.
"There is something distinct about the warmth you encounter when you get off the beaten path," said White.
"The fan from Morocco who got help finding their gate in Dallas, or the family from Germany who got directions from a stranger in Seattle, those moments do not make headlines. But they are doing real work on Brand USA."
Some of the concerns raised ahead of the tournament still linger. The heat, particularly in places like Miami, is tough on players and fans, and the final is still a month further into summer away.
Although soccer's world governing body FIFA says attendance at matches has been strong, high ticket and travel prices have already dissuaded many from making the trip.
And visa restrictions or denials have left some fans watching on TV at home.
Citizens of four participating countries - Iran, Haiti, Ivory Coast and Senegal - have faced partial or total bans on entry to the United States.
Iran and Haiti both have significant American diasporas to cheer them on - although some feel conflicted by that prospect. But Ivory Coast and Senegal have only small U.S. communities.
Enter the Americans.
"I'm in the bloodiest of the nosebleeds but I hope they can hear me down there on the pitch," said Brooklyn resident Jessica Ambres, wearing a Senegal shirt at the France v Senegal match this week in New Jersey. She felt a connection to the African diaspora as a Black American, she added.
In stadiums across the country, Americans streamed in, not just to support the U.S. or their countries of ancestry, but to cheer on the underdogs and those without significant fan bases.
U.S. politicians and business owners hope the warmth will be remembered once the final whistle is blown.
"I hope that the Tartan Army will keep coming back to Boston," said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. "Of course, have a wonderful time during the games now, but we'd love to see you any season, any year. This is your home."
(Reporting by Rosalba O'Brien in New York; additional reporting by Eric Cox in Boston, Sebastian Rocandio and Iain Axon in Kansas City, Malgorzata Wojtunik and Manuel Ausloos in Dallas and Amy Tennery in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Editing by Ken Ferris)
