Ayoub Baghdad had just landed in Washington to cheer for Morocco at the World Cup when he noticed something no highlight reel could prepare him for: the Coke was massive. "Everything is big, even the Coke is big," he said, marveling not at a stadium or a skyscraper, but at a fountain drink in his hand. He’s not alone. From Scottish vloggers to Ghanaian students, international fans are discovering America through its supersized servings, sprawling highways, and the cult-like allure of places like Buc-ee’s — a Texas-born megastop that blends gas station, supermarket, and restaurant into one shrine of American excess. As 75% of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches unfold across U.S. soil, with the rest split between Canada and Mexico, the tournament is becoming a cultural gateway, revealing a side of America that movies often exaggerate but rarely capture in full flavor.
For many visitors, food is the first point of contact. Ire Balogun, visiting from Oxford, was surprised by the depth of taste in American fast food. "I find that the food generally is significantly better than in England," he said. "The flavor comes through across the board, whether it's Chinese or [Hispanic] food." His group, along with Portuguese graduate students João Valentim and Lourenço Silva, have made a point of trying chains like Chipotle and Shake Shack — brands they recognize from screens back home. "It’s what we’re used to seeing in movies or TV shows," Silva said. "It’s a part of the experience of coming to the U.S."
But the scale keeps catching them off guard. Christian Boateng from Ghana, dining in a U.S. restaurant, found himself unable to finish a single entree. "The portion we bought, we couldn’t finish everything," he said. Free refills, endless salsa bowls, and the surprise of sales tax appearing only at the register — all are small shocks to the system. Meanwhile, Scottish vlogger Shaun declared after visiting a Buc-ee’s: "A place like this could ONLY exist in America and I LOVE it."
Beyond the stadiums, fans are veering into the American heartland. A group of Portuguese travelers, including Tomás Soares and José de Araújo Vitória, are heading south to Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas in search of barbecue and seafood boils — the kind of regional feasts that define American culinary identity far from tourist brochures. Others, like English fans Jason Barnes and Harry Beckley, stumbled into a different kind of spectacle: the euphoric celebration in Times Square after the New York Knicks won their first NBA title in 53 years. "It’s the craziest celebration I’ve ever seen," Barnes said. "I might even start following basketball now because of it."
In a country where football shares the spotlight with baseball, basketball, and American football, the World Cup’s presence feels quieter than in Doha or Moscow. But that very contrast — the lack of overwhelming hype — has given visiting fans space to explore. They’re not just watching games. They’re tasting, laughing, and learning, one giant Coke at a time.