The beautiful game is getting cold vibes in America, partly thanks to Trump. But the magic may yet happen
The World Cup is almost here. In many countries, people are already very excited. In Argentina, fans are talking in parks and cafés about whether their team can win again. They are swapping football stickers and guessing which teams Argentina might have to beat.
In Cape Verde, a small island country near West Africa, people are even more excited. Cape Verde has reached the World Cup for the first time, which feels like a huge moment for the whole country.
But in the United States, the feeling is different. Many people there are not as excited. One reason is that soccer is not the biggest sport in America. Baseball, basketball, and American football are much more popular. Soccer has grown in the US, especially with stars like Lionel Messi playing there. Many children play soccer too. But for many American sports fans, the World Cup still does not feel as important as it does in Europe, Latin America, Africa, or parts of Asia.
Politics has also made things more difficult. This World Cup is happening at a time when there are worries about borders, immigration, and conflict between countries. Some fans from countries such as Haiti, Iran, Senegal, and Ivory Coast may find it hard to travel to the US to watch their teams. Ticket prices are also very high, which means many ordinary fans may not be able to afford them. Because of all this, the tournament can feel less like a big open celebration and more like an event only some people are invited to.
Still, football often finds a way to bring people together. Once the matches begin, the real spirit of the World Cup may not come from speeches, slogans, or expensive seats. It may come from immigrant communities across America.
In St Louis, Missouri, for example, many people from Bosnia and Herzegovina are excited to support their team. Some families there came to America after escaping war in the 1990s. For them, this is not just a football tournament. It is about memory, pride, family, and feeling connected to where they came from.
So even if America as a whole is slow to get excited about the World Cup, its immigrant communities may show everyone how to celebrate it.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
