World Cup 2026

[mikechamp]

I thought this was an interesting facet of the tournament that people might not really consider:

Why World Cup teams are setting up base camps in unexpected corners of the U.S.

While World Cup matches will take place in 16 big cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada, teams will spend most of their time at base camps sprinkled around the continent — some in uncommon places, such as prep schools, college campuses and small cities with otherwise no ties to the five-week, 48-nation tournament.

FIFA is not planning to verify camp selections until the week of Feb. 9, but some teams have already announced their picks and many others reportedly have finalized plans.

Brazil said it has chosen Red Bull New York’s Major League Soccer training center under construction in northern New Jersey. Croatia will practice at a boarding school near Washington. Spain is planning to set up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, while Norway chose Greensboro, North Carolina.

France is going to Boston and Portugal to Miami. Belgium seems set on Seattle, and South Korea announced Guadalajara, Mexico. Four teams, including England and reigning champion Argentina, want the Kansas City area, the Kansas City Star reported.

The U.S. team — which will play two of its three Group D matches in Greater Los Angeles — is expected to train full time in Southern California.

The scramble for long-term stays, interrupted by short-term visits to match locations, began last year as teams began qualifying for the World Cup. FIFA assembled a brochure of 64 options that included pro facilities in metro areas as well as off-beat places such as Boise, Idaho; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Stillwater, Oklahoma; and Spokane, Washington.

Federations also had the option of going off the board, though selections were subject to FIFA approval.

https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/article ... 00253.html

You can check out FIFA's brochure here. STL has two options for teams. (No word yet on if anyone selected those options.)

https://fwc26teambasecamps.fifa.com/#/tbc/

[mikechamp]

As soon as I read the headline, I knew exactly what he was referring to:

'This could only exist in America': What are foreign football fans finding in the US?

Ayoub Baghdad has only just arrived in the US to follow his home team in the World Cup. But already he's been stunned by one big thing - and it's not at all related to football - the sheer size of basically everything in the States. "Everything is big, even the Coke is big," Baghdad says, referring to the carbonated beverage. He has found the roads, trucks, and buildings to be much larger than anything he's used to seeing back home in Morocco.

About 75% of the 2026 Fifa World Cup matches are being played in the US with Mexico and Canada sharing the remainder. With that comes more international fans in the US keen to explore American culture, landscape and all the country's oddities. It's made for viral videos on social media, with foreign football fans trying everything from Waffle House and finding a new obsession in ranch dressing to being blown away by giant supermarkets and large restaurant portions.

The preoccupation with sizes, in particular, was something many international fans remarked about when interviewed by the BBC about their reflections on visiting America.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgj731r38xo

[cardinalkarp]

Have they also noticed the size of the people?

[CardsofSTL]

The World Cup fever was alive and well in KC last weekend. It was a pretty fun environment.

[CardsofSTL]

Have they also noticed the size of the people?

Don't body shame

[cardinalkarp]

Have they also noticed the size of the people?

Don't body shame

Not facing the facts doesn’t solve the problem. Highlighting the excess and gluttonous nature of the US and not looking at the effects is doing no one any favors

Now…back to the WC discussion

[cardsfantx]

Have they also noticed the size of the people?

Don't body shame

Not facing the facts doesn’t solve the problem. Highlighting the excess and gluttonous nature of the US and not looking at the effects is doing no one any favors

Now…back to the WC discussion

I live 10 mins from the stockyards in Ft Worth...so every place is PACKED with people from all over the world in jerseys (I guess they hear texas and think cowboys so head to Ft Worth)

Anyways, I had a couple bday parties we had to attend down there so was there Fri-Sun; part of each day this last wknd...

and nearly half of all the people in jerseys from other countries were just as fat as people in the US. Yes, the US has some BIG ones, but those are outliers. Yes we have people with some belly guts, but I'm telling you half of these guys had them as well...from all different parts of the world. The other half were thin/normal, just like us. (and no these weren't Americans in foreign jerseys. I spoke to a ton of them)

And on a side note; They all are awesome that I have met, and every single one of them has loved their time here in the states. And those [expletive] can DRINK. the table behind us had a group of guys from Austria and I swear they had at least 10-15 rounds of shots brought out to go along with their beer. And this was only about 2 hours I was there at that particular bar.

[cardinalkarp]

Interesting, I wouldn’t have expected that.

Who knew that ranch dressing was some American delicacy.

[CardsofSTL]

Have they also noticed the size of the people?

Don't body shame

Not facing the facts doesn’t solve the problem. Highlighting the excess and gluttonous nature of the US and not looking at the effects is doing no one any favors

Now…back to the WC discussion

I was joking. But also don't body shame.

I ran into a big group of the Ecuador faithful at the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame in KC. They were having a great time; it was a fun vibe all over the city.

[cardinalkarp]

Have they also noticed the size of the people?

Don't body shame

Not facing the facts doesn’t solve the problem. Highlighting the excess and gluttonous nature of the US and not looking at the effects is doing no one any favors

Now…back to the WC discussion

I was joking. But also don't body shame.

I ran into a big group of the Ecuador faithful at the Negro Leagues Hall of Fame in KC. They were having a great time; it was a fun vibe all over the city.

Yeah, I’m still bitter I didn’t get a bday bump…lol