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USMNT fans overwhelmingly support their hometown team at the FIFA World Cup 2026, with fans cheering for a neighboring nation, as well.
Die-hard USMNT fans will be cheering for the Stars and Stripes at the FIFA World Cup 2026. The American squad has gotten overwhelming support, as evidenced in its opening match against Paraguay last Friday.
But if American fans had to cheer for another side, the choice is not at all surprising. American fans would cheer for their neighbors to the north, Canada.
A survey of 2,800 soccer fans across all 50 states by the folks at SIXT revealed that the bulk of USMNT supporters would cheer for Canada. That’s considering that the data showed that 1 in 3 Americans wouldn’t support any other team beyond the United States.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of Southwestern states picked Mexico as the team they would support beyond the USMNT. What is surprising is that Mexico emerged as fans’ second choice in North Carolina.
Other nations favored by fans include England. Soccer fans in Nebraska, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massachusetts chose the European side as the favorite after their hometown team in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The outliers, as the study noted, were Brazil and Japan. The South American squad garnered support from fans in New Jersey and Rhode Island, while Hawaii showed its support for the Asian squad.
The USMNT will hit the pitch again on Friday, as they take on Australia in their second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
In other interesting data points, the study revealed American fans’ plans for the FIFA World Cup 2026. About 1 in 3 fans say they have concrete plans or are actively considering traveling to attend a World Cup match, fan fest, or organized public screening this summer. Among the most committed fans, nearly 1 in 10 has already booked travel or secured tickets.
That data point is certainly interesting, considering the affordability concerns regarding tickets to matches. Still, it seems that even with cost considerations, fans will be coming out to support the USMNT, among other teams.
Additionally, 93% of Americans say they are likely to attend a fan fest or an organized public screening, and are equally likely to travel to a fan fest in another city as to attend one in their own backyard.
In particular, the USMNT’s next match on Friday’s holiday should boost viewership among die-hard fans and those who might not have otherwise attended the match or fan event.
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The FIFA World Cup 2026 has become the sort of event that has given fans an opportunity to plan trips and vacations around matches.
SIXT’s data shows that nearly 2 in 3 travelers (65%) say they plan to take a weekend trip of 2 to 3 days for any World Cup travel, while an additional 18% plan an extended trip of four days or more. Combined, more than 8 in 10 World Cup travelers are planning overnight trips.
What seems interesting is the means of transportation that USMNT fans plan on utilizing for their trips. More than 1 in 5 World Cup travelers (23%) plan to use a rental car, making it the third most popular transportation choice. When combined with ride share, nearly half of all FIFA World Cup 2026 travelers plan to use some form of for-hire transportation – choosing freedom and flexibility over fixed schedules.
If everything goes well, USMNT fans could become delighted with what the FIFA World Cup 2026 has to offer.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL and NFL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor's singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor's fondness for baseball, football, and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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