As the United States hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, millions of visitors from around the world are sharing their impressions of America. And, honestly, they’re exactly the breath of fresh air Americans so desperately needed.
There’s no question that the U.S. has been going through genuinely trying times in recent years. And as politicians and the media highlight conflict and negativity, our self-image and the way the world sees us have taken a beating. But the World Cup is shining a fresh light on America, and Americans and visitors alike are loving what they’re seeing.
Americans are some of the friendliest, most welcoming people in the world
People visiting from dozens of countries are sharing videos raving about the warm hospitality they’ve experienced during their time here. These experiences span the entire U.S., from big coastal cities to small Midwestern towns, and the words people use to describe the Americans they’ve encountered are remarkably consistent: kind, nice, friendly, warm, and welcoming.
A Scottish visitor staying in Boston said, “The America we are experiencing right now is the America we were promised growing up…we were expecting to be met by ICE agents, aggressive police, and the political climate we all see on the news, and that could not be further from the truth of what we’ve actually experienced here…honestly, every single person we’ve come across has been out of this world.”
No matter where you travel in the world, you will eventually encounter someone who gives the country a bad name. But many visitors seem genuinely surprised to see firsthand what America is really like, detached from media-driven stereotypes and politically pushed narratives. They’re not seeing the U.S. portrayed on the news. They’re seeing our melting pot of people in their everyday lives, our spirit of open-armed welcome that has long defined our nation, and our unabashed love of celebration.
Seeing ourselves through others’ eyes is healing our hearts
Many Americans find themselves surprised by people’s exuberant praise but delighted by the reminder of what makes our country and culture unique. It’s so lovely to see foreign visitors road tripping across various parts of the U.S., gushing over the diverse beauty of our landscapes. It’s fun to see them marvel at Wal-Mart and Costco as they scope out 128-oz jars of peanut butter and the “legendary” gallon of milk. And yes, everything here really is big, from our food portions to our stores, to our roads, to our thunderstorms. Even our embrace of visitors and celebration of shared joy is big.
Seeing our nation through others’ eyes feels like it’s healing something in us. As one person wrote, “It’s like the entire world came to bring us home, remind us who we are. Who we’ve been, who we want to be.”
In a lighthearted but equally accurate assessment, another person wrote, “The World Cup being held in the US feels like getting to have a sleepover with the cousins you love but don’t get to see often because your parents don’t get along.”
Nowhere has that been more apparent than in Lawrence, Kansas, where the Algerian team has its home base during the World Cup. Check out how the town has embraced them as their own, going above and beyond to show them support and make them feel at home:
To know a place, focus more on the people, less on present politics
This “Great American Sleepover” has been a celebration of who we are in connection with the rest of the world, which feels especially welcome as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday. Hosting the World Cup turned out to be exactly what we needed to restore our faith in ourselves and the defining promises of our country.
We’re being reminded that We the People make America what it is, and we, the people, are pretty awesome. Of course, we’re imperfect and have issues to fix amongst ourselves. But having visitors from around the world hold a mirror up to our faces and tell us all the wonderful things they see in us, totally unprompted, feels really good.
Let’s hold onto this message after the World Cup is over and try to see in one another what others have observed in us. This is who we are and who we can be, and truly what makes America great. Thanks to our global guests for the much-needed reminder.
