World Cup 2026: Has football fever really taken hold in the United States?

Has the United States actually caught football fever, three weeks into the 2026 World Cup? Co-hosting alongside Mexico and Canada, the USA now face Bosnia-Herzegovina for a place in the last 16, and BBC Sport has been asking its reporters on the ground whether the early scepticism has survived contact with the tournament itself.

Have ticket prices put fans off?

Before a ball was kicked, the biggest worry was cost: American stadiums are among the most expensive in world sport to get into. For England supporters flying out to follow the Three Lions across US venues, that concern has mattered just as much as it has for the host nation’s own fans — an overpriced ticket changes the atmosphere of a stadium, even when the home team isn’t playing.

On the ground, BBC reporters describe a picture more mixed than expected: some matches have sold out despite steep prices, while other stadiums have had visibly empty sections. That pattern holds even for games not involving the USA — a detail worth watching for England fans planning trips to upcoming fixtures on American soil.

Has the atmosphere won the sceptics over?

Partly, yes. The buzz around the USA team, now led by Mauricio Pochettino, has surprised observers who doubted whether the home crowd would engage with football at all. The USA reaching the last 32 to face Bosnia-Herzegovina sparked genuine celebrations in several host cities.

But enthusiasm still swings by fixture. Stadiums come alive when the USA are playing, noticeably less so for other nations — which raises the question of how far football has really moved up America’s list of sporting priorities once the tournament ends.

What it means for England fans

For England, who face Croatia in Group L, the crowd experience is still being tested match by match. Reports from the ground suggest atmosphere depends far more on a well-organised away following than on ticket price alone — something England’s travelling support has never struggled to provide.

Either way, the 2026 World Cup in the United States has already achieved one thing: it’s put football’s real standing in the country up for debate, just as the tournament heads towards a possible semi-final between the world’s best teams.

FAQ