World Cup visitors go viral with their reactions to everyday American life

Hundreds of thousands of international visitors are traveling to the USA for the 2026 World Cup, but many of them are not just documenting the games on the pitch. On TikTok, Instagram and other social media, fans from around the world are sharing their reactions to uniquely American experiences, from massive supermarkets and self-serve ice cream shops to oversized pickup trucks, fire engines and customer service that many describe as exceptionally friendly.
The videos have become a viral subgenre of World Cup content, offering Americans a glimpse into how everyday things in U.S. life appear through the eyes of foreign visitors. Many visitors expressed surprise at the amenities Americans often take for granted, including free ice cream, refill stations, 24-hour retail and the general friendliness they encountered.
"What Americans consider ordinary is often extraordinary to visitors," said Dr. Rachel J.C. Fu, head of the Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management and director of the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute at the University of Florida, told ABC News.
"Travel researchers have long found that tourists don't just consume sights; they consume daily life," she continued. "A huge supermarket aisle, free ice water, refillable drinks or a cheerful cashier like for Ame

"It may be just another Tuesday, but for someone visiting from Scotland, Brazil or Japan, these experiences are fascinating cultural discoveries."
Fu noted that travelers are increasingly using social media to highlight these unexpected discoveries rather than just documenting big attractions. “Travellers today want to say, ‘Look what I discovered,’ rather than just posting another stadium selfie.”
Nowhere has cultural exchange around the World Cup been more visible than in Boston, where an influx of Scottish supporters has led some social media users to jokingly rename the city "New Scotland." "This past week you couldn't go anywhere in Boston without seeing fans in kilts walking around," Jim Rooney, president and CEO of the Boston Chamber of Commerce, told ABC News.
“They were everywhere and it breathed energy and life into the city.” Rooney added that the visitors became unofficial ambassadors for the city, documenting everything from Fenway Park and the North End to Boston's historic landmarks.
Boston content creator Shawn Moran, known online as @shawninboston, said seeing the city embrace Scottish fans was one of the most uplifting aspects of the World Cup.
"Social media is often full of negativity, and only joy and happiness i

n my feed has been the biggest thing ever in the last few weeks," Moran told ABC News. "People are just having fun and enjoying each other's company, learning about other cultures and embracing them wholeheartedly."
Videos of Scotland fans singing in pubs, marching through city streets and interacting with locals have generated millions of views online. Fu said such interactions are often what visitors remember long after a tournament ends.
"Research consistently shows that people remember other people more than they remember places," she said. "A visitor may forget the end result, but they will remember the Uber driver who recommended a local barbecue restaurant, the volunteer who helped them find the subway station, or the stranger who said, 'Welcome to America.'
So while visitors discover firsthand aspects of American life, many Americans seem just as excited to see their country through visitors' fresh eyes. The videos often focused on ordinary moments that seem distinctly American to international visitors, from shopping at Target to ordering oversized portions at restaurants.
"I think it's refreshing for Americans to hear such positive things," De Buchi said. “At the moment they are hearing a lot of negative things. I'm glad that the p

positive side of the coin now comes to light."
Fu said the World Cup offers a unique opportunity for cultural exchange that goes beyond football. "The World Cup is one of the largest cultural classrooms on earth," she said, adding: "Communities are discovering that despite different accents and different team loyalties, they have far more similarities than differences."
What would she recommend to World Cup visitors who want the full American experience? De Buchi's answer is simple: "Just enjoy it, immerse yourself in it." Her response reflects the spirit behind many of the viral videos: embracing experiences that seem commonplace to Americans but are uniquely exciting for visitors when they encounter them for the first time.