The results of a recent national survey by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association reveal that 4.9 percent of all Americans plan to attend one of the FIFA World Cup soccer matches in person. In addition, 14.7 percent will be paying attention to the final scores of the games; 14.8 percent plan to talk about the overall event with friends and family; 16.3 percent are committed to reading about the World Cup; 23.2 percent are planning to watch the full matches; and 23.8 percent will be watching highlights and video clips.
The 4.9 percent of Americans who planned to attend matches may appear to be quite small, but it’s actually a significant figure considering the vast number of visitors from all competing nations who have traveled to North America to attend the games in person. Some of the most avid fans this year are from Scotland, Argentina, the Netherlands, Norway, Japan, Portugal and England, to name a few.
Among soccer coaches in the western communities, getting a chance to have the World Cup return to the U.S. for the second time in the event’s history — and for the first time since 1994 — is a dream come true.
Chris Carrera, the head coach of the boys varsity soccer team at Wellington High School, had tickets for four of the matches in Miami. They were June 15 for Saudi Arabia versus Uruguay; June 21 for Uruguay versus Cabo Verde; July 3 for a round-of-16 game; and July 18 for the third place/fourth place match in the overall tournament.
When asked to describe the atmosphere inside the stadium in Miami for the Uruguay versus Saudi Arabia game, he was impressed, to say the least.
“It was amazing,” Carrera said. “Attending the Uruguay versus Saudi Arabia World Cup match was absolutely incredible. The energy, excitement and hospitality were outstanding. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I’ll never forget.”
The match ended in a 1-1 tie.
Since Carrera lived in Ecuador from age six to 19, he has been cheering for Ecuador in the World Cup.
“I was hoping to go watch Germany versus Ecuador in New Jersey, but the tickets were crazy expensive,” Carrera said of a match that took place on Thursday, June 25.
As for the eventual World Cup winner, Carrera thinks the title will go to France or Spain.
Malik Hasan, the longtime head coach of the boys varsity soccer team at Royal Palm Beach High School and the director of coaching for the Royal Palm Beach Strikers, said the World Cup is living up to its pre-event expectations.
“The games have been very unpredictable, which is why it’s such a beautiful sporting event,” Hasan said.
He’s not planning to attend any games in person, opting instead to watch the games at home.
“I have enjoyed watching every game from the comfort of my sofa,” Hasan said.
The two national teams that Hasan is following are the U.S. and Germany. He would like to see both teams meet at the World Cup’s championship game on July 19.
Hasan enjoys seeing fans from other countries who understand that sportsmanship is important both on the field and in the grandstands.
“I support all of the fan bases that don’t believe and behave as if they are entitled or more knowledgeable than others,” Hasan said. “I admire those that are appreciative that their teams are able to compete in such a great event.”
Of course, one of the legacies of any World Cup tournament being held in any country is the impact it will have on overall soccer participation.
“Ultimately, the excitement and support of these World Cup games have a trickle-down effect that results in increased participants in youth soccer programs,” Hasan said. “For the upcoming season, our Royal Palm Beach Strikers program will have approximately 1,800 players registered, which is an increase of roughly 10 percent.”
Jon Iverson, the head coach of the girls varsity soccer team at Berean Christian School, has been impressed by the quality of the matches and the presentation of the games on television.
“Overall, I think the games have been very well produced,” Iverson said. “They are some of the best soccer broadcasts I have seen.”
Iverson added that the match officials are doing a fine job, too.
“The refereeing has also been good,” he added. “With VAR [Video Assistant Referee], there haven’t been many major mistakes. After the first game with all the red cards, I thought it might turn into a very controlled tournament, but the referees have allowed players to be physical.”
Of all the games that Iverson has watched, two specific games have stood out for him.
“The first half of Team USA’s first game against Paraguay was unbelievable. The way we played and dominated was impressive,” said Iverson, who also serves as dean of students at Berean. “I also thought Mexico versus [South] Korea was a really good game.”
Iverson has not secured any game tickets yet, but he remains optimistic.
“I am still not planning to attend a game, but if the door opens, I am going to run through it,” Iverson said.
He feels that France, Argentina and England have the best chance of reaching the World Cup final on July 19. He expects France will win the tournament.
Interest among residents of the western communities in the FIFA World Cup has been strong. There have been large gatherings of fans at places such as Rancho Argentino Pizzeria and Grill in Wellington, the Portuguese American Cultural Society in Loxahatchee Groves, and even at Arturo Fashion Cuts in the original Wellington Mall, where customers have enjoyed the World Cup games being shown while getting their hair cut.
All 104 World Cup games are being broadcast on Fox, FS1, Telemundo and/or Peacock. The tournament will conclude with the championship game on Sunday, July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
According to figures released by FIFA, more than one million fans — 1,028,429, to be precise — attended the first 16 games of the tournament. Despite the high prices for game tickets, more than 99 percent of the seats were occupied during that time period.
