‘Such a breath of fresh air’: World Cup visitors are praising American hospitality across the country

Hosting the World Cup has always been an honor for any nation. Politics aside, and regardless of one’s particular taste in sports, the job of hosting global visitors goes beyond any single government office. Accommodating people who have come into a country to support their teams plays out at the individual level. And if non-American TikTok users are to be believed, people in the United States are doing a strong job.

The US World Cup hosting effort has been shaped by controversial policy decisions under the Donald Trump administration. From stringent immigration rules that have reportedly prevented some World Cup officials from entering the country to restrictions affecting content creators covering the tournament, there have been concerns that the hosting environment has not been uniformly welcoming.

Social media, however, is telling a different story. Soccer fans are spread across multiple host cities, including Seattle, Boston, Atlanta, and others sharing hosting duties across the country. The US is a vast country with a wide range of local cultures, and some European visitors, in particular, appear to be responding positively.

One TikTok creator, who goes by @404_sag, has gained attention for videos filmed in retail stores such as Walmart and Costco, where he jokes about the scale of American consumer goods. Many Americans have responded in kind, with some even offering suggestions for places to visit.

For many users on TikTok, the surprise has been the reception from ordinary Americans during their stay. One user, @getlawsoned, said she was moved to tears by the welcome she received in Boston, adding in a post that the experience restored her faith in humanity.

Another user, Victor Vacheron, summed up the sentiment across several posts, saying the tournament has given ordinary Americans a moment in the global spotlight. In one post describing the experience as “such a breath of fresh air,” Vacheron noted that users from countries including Algeria and the Netherlands have shared similar experiences online, describing positive interactions and hospitality.

In comment sections under such posts, users have echoed similar reactions. One wrote: “The headlines will show you a country, but Americans will show you America,” adding, “I hope there are more moments we can show the world we aren’t our leaders.” Another commented, “As an American we have been very depressed. I honestly didn’t think anyone would come… It’s been such a joy to see you all having a great time.”

That, in many ways, is the point of sport. It is often described as a unifier, even if that role is not always acknowledged. While a tournament does not resolve broader political or social issues, it does offer moments where countries and their people are seen outside of headlines.

The World Cup still has a little under a month to go, and while headlines continue to be dominated by the athletes — rightfully so — moments off the pitch continue to stand out. In the comments sections of TikTok videos praising America’s hosting capabilities, users have been encouraging one another to highlight what they describe as the “true spirit of America” — a sentiment that, for many, is part of what makes the World Cup experience so distinctive.