The US that World Cup fans didn't expect to love

BBC ^ | 06/26/2026 | Jeff Bogle

[Kid Shelleen]

In the build-up to this summer's Fifa World Cup, much of the attention was on the host cities and stadiums where the matches would be held. But after two weeks, something I never expected is happening: social media is flooded with feel-good videos of fans discovering the US that exists between skylines. ---SNIP---

With each wide-eyed video of travellers documenting their first encounters with everything from roadside convenience stores to ranch dressing, fans are highlighting the real America

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: soccer

[Kid Shelleen]

Another article about the new crush foreigners have with middle America but I thought this was interesting because it is from the BBC and has links to some of viral social media posts.

"From roadside convenience stores to lonely landscapes, travellers are discovering little-known slices of Americana away from the host cities."

[Chgogal]

“ In the build-up to this summer's Fifa World Cup, much of the attention was on the host cities and stadiums where the matches would be held. But after two weeks, something I never expected is happening: social media is flooded with feel-good videos of fans discovering the US that exists between skylines. -—SNIP-—”

All this because of the BS reporting done by the likes of BBC, CNN and MSM.

[Kid Shelleen]

You might enjoy this. It's kind of catchy.

"Someone said that the World Cup is just the US having a Giant sleepover with the cousins we never get to see because our parents hate each other."

"Best SleepOver Ever"

[Steven Tyler]

Huh, it appears the lefty left have America all wrong

[beef]

I’d like to see people living in those “skyline” cities open their minds a crack and visit flyover country. Perhaps some of them might make some of the same discoveries.

[blitz128]

And by several videos I have seen theu are not taking it well. The lefties are getting a National sense of pride that exists outside the leftist hellholes and media biospheres, and they don’t LIKE IT😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Blueflag]

That happened to Matt Damon when he visited with rural oil field towns and people, when he was making that movie about the gulf oil platform.

He found a friendly, fun, happy America ... and loved it.

[jimfr]

I’m leaning towards the idea that there is not such surprise from our visitors as they are trying to get “likes” on their website. On an earlier post this idea was put forward by someone else.

[V_TWIN]

I’ve seen several YouTube videos by Europeans saying their media lied to them about America and Americans.

As a matter of fact two videos were titled just that:

“We were lied to”

So apparently international news organizations are as bad as ours.

We don’t hate the media enough

[Dacula]

Just wait. The Americans will and be out of the Whirled Cup and all interest will be gone.

[God luvs America]

the title could have easily been “THE AMERICA WHICH WORLD CUP VISITORS DIDN’T EXPECT TO LOVE”....but that doesn’t fit their narrative...

[AppyPappy]

I’m in Greensboro NC right now and UNC-Greensboro hosted the Norway team and learned to do the Viking Row

[AppyPappy]

I think people were more interested in Scotland than the US

[MayflowerMadam]

We’ve been watching reruns of “The Incredible Dr. Pol”. One episode has an “Animal Behaviorist” from Los Angeles visiting the doc’s practice in Michigan.

She never had been on a farm before. She went to the county fair, shadowed Doc on his farm calls, even sticking her arm inside a cow to test for pregnancy. (Said it was “so cool!”) She met salt-of-the-earth people who treated her wonderfully. She was surprised.

She was a typical LA AWFUL when she arrived — and a vegan, but left with a whole different perspective.

[MayflowerMadam]

The USA was chosen for the event in 2018. I assume Trump was involved in snagging it for this venue. If so, it was a masterful move for the country.

I looked at some AI, and it seems Trump’s involvement is played down by media — to be expected. But you have to assume he was in the negotiations “bigly”.

[DoodleBob]

A lot of the foreigner videos are FROM flyover country.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/world-cup/why-world-cup-visitors-are-making-a-surprising-stop-at-buc-ees/6514614/

There is one attraction that’s drawn some unexpected attention from World Cup visitors: Buc’ees.

It’s been so popular with visitors to Texas that Trinity Metro, the public transportation system for the Fort Worth area, is even offering a 20-minute shuttle from downtown to the North Fort Worth Buc-ee’s location.

[Ex-Con777]

What’s the saying?

If you watch the news, you hate America. If you visit America, you love it.

EC

[MayflowerMadam]

That was so good! Hadn’t seen it before.

[Psalm 73]

God is removing the blindfold that the world’s elites have put over their citizen’s eyes - the jig is up.

[Kid Shelleen]

I don't think there is any doubt about it but they are still fun to watch and prove once again the left is always wrong.