From lobster rolls and barbeque to huge skylines and stadiums, soccer fans from around the world are loving the American experience.
PHILADELPHIA—In the City of Brotherly Love, fans representing the fiercest rivalries in world soccer converged on a FIFA fanzone to enjoy a beer together and a friendly kickabout.
Rory Prenter, of Belfast, Northern Ireland, rocked a U.S. jersey as he played in a mini match with his father, Paul; his brothers, Patrick and Oliver; and several new international friends.
“It has been amazing,” said Rory, who, with Oliver, competes for his national team at the academy level. “I love it here.”
Even though their nation didn’t qualify for this World Cup, the Prenters said they are thrilled to be part of the American experience for the globe’s most popular sporting event.
Paul Prenter said the family is in awe of how a city of such size and skylines can be so personable. They were having the time of their life on June 30 at the Philadelphia FIFA Fan Festival in Lemon Hill Park, a free event with a variety of soccer-related games and simulators, plus live entertainment and match broadcasts on huge screens.
“Clare and I promised the kids years ago that we’d travel somewhere someday for a World Cup,” he told The Epoch Times. “I’m glad we chose this one.”
The Prenters are among the estimated 1.24 million international visitors traveling to the United States for World Cup matches and celebrations, according to travel data analyst Tourism Economics.
Theirs is just one of innumerable stories international travelers have been sharing about their discoveries of America and their appreciation—and outright adoption—of whole cities.
As the nation celebrates its 250th birthday, social media posts of foreign fans being wowed by American experiences—Texas barbecue, Buc-ee’s massive travel centers, hypermarkets, large meal portions, huge stadiums—have gone viral.
Solidifying an American Bond
Halvor Francke and three of his sons were decked out in their Team Norway jerseys as they hopped aboard a Philadelphia tourist bus, where riders paid $5 for unlimited day passes. The family had already visited New York City and Boston, where they attended the Norway–France match. Their final stop was Washington for Fourth of July festivities.
“Boston is so walkable and does have more of a European feel,” he told The Epoch Times. “Really nice people there, too.”
Boston also became a favorite American city of another group of fans: Scotland’s Tartan Army. The Scots failed to advance from the group stage, but their fans occupied “Beantown” with their bagpipes and kilts.
Pubs such as the Sam Adams Taproom were filled with song and drained dry. Every accessible statue was topped with a traffic cone, and streets turned into makeshift parade routes. The city ultimately fell in love with its visitors, and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu named Glasgow its new sister city.
Back in Philadelphia, Francke said he’s enjoyed the sunshine and warm temperatures and didn’t mind getting rained on at the match. American stadiums are so much larger than what he’s familiar with in Norway and England, and the fanfare takes some getting used to, he said.
“In Europe, fans initiate the entertainment—no help needed,” he said, adding that fans chant and sing songs about their clubs dating back more than a century. “Here it’s a bit more staged. You’ll see a message to ‘make some noise’ on the big scoreboard.”
And their fellow Norwegians did not hesitate to make their own entertainment. The traveling Nordic tribe went viral, taking over random locations in various cities, including New York City’s Times Square, to demonstrate their now-famous “Ro!” rowing chant.
“It’s different here, but it’s really nice,” he said. “America has been great.”
In New York City and Miami, visitor Alejandro Barrantes enjoyed a fantastic experience. He’ll also visit the host cities of Philadelphia and Dallas.
Barrantes, a Colombian native who lives in Mexico, said he aspires to live and work in the United States someday. Latin American people, he said, regard the United States as a country of opportunities.
“You can do whatever you want, and you feel that energy that you are capable of doing whatever you want,” he told The Epoch Times during his stop in New York City. “So this is the most magic that this city has.”
