The NFL might aspire to becoming a globally dominant sport, but soccer — what the rest of the world calls football — remains the one sport that stirs passion in every corner of the globe. The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on Thursday, and the world is watching what happens in California and across North America.
Teams from a record 48 nations will compete across more than 100 matches. They carry their fans’ hopes, histories and rivalries onto the pitch.
Americans could certainly use an uplifting break from recent news. Economic anxiety, bitter politics and on-again, off-again wars have been dragging down the national mood. A summer of shared soccer joy is a welcome antidote.
For the first time, the World Cup is being contested across three nations. The United States, Mexico and Canada are co-hosting soccer’s grandest event. Soccer fans in the North Bay are especially lucky. Six matches will take place at Levi’s Stadium. The home of the San Francisco 49ers will be called “San Francisco Bay Area Stadium” for the duration because FIFA, soccer’s international governing body and organizer of the World Cup, does not allow branding (except, of course, from its own paying sponsors).
Local soccer fans who cannot make the day trip south for a match or who cannot afford FIFA’s pricey tickets can still enjoy seeing California highlighted at local watch parties or at home. Many Sonoma and Napa bars will air the games on big screens with drink specials and other fun events.
Thirty-two years have passed since the United States last hosted the World Cup, and America is more primed for soccer than ever. Both kids and adults love the game. Major League Soccer drew more than 11 million fans in 2025. Locally, youth leagues pack parks and fans cheer on the Sonoma County Sol.
Even as we enjoy the competition, we cannot ignore some of the controversy surrounding it. Start with the fact that it takes a bulging bank account to attend a match. FIFA’s ticket prices are the highest in World Cup history. “Dynamic pricing” pushed high-demand seats at marquee matches to more than $10,000.
Most troubling is the reluctance many international fans feel about visiting Donald Trump’s America. Visa hurdles, travel bans and worries about immigration enforcement have dampened the tourism boom that the World Cup usually brings. As if to prove those concerns warranted, U.S. Customs and Border Protection denied entry to a Somali soccer referee. A tournament built on welcoming the world works best when the world feels welcome.
Those headwinds have translated into fewer travelers booking fewer hotel rooms and spending fewer dollars than the lofty FIFA forecasts. Hotels in host cities, including San Francisco, report that occupancy is low. For North Bay lodging and Wine Country tasting rooms that had hoped for spillover visitors that is a sobering signal.
None of this should take away from the moment. For one glorious month, the planet will be watching North America, including eyes focused on early matches right in our own backyard. Here’s hoping that we are the gracious, exuberant hosts the occasion deserves. Cheer for Team USA in its early matches. Cheer for great soccer. And enjoy a show that comes around only once every four years.
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