International visitors are posting about Target and Taco Bell, reminding a divided nation of the small things that make it great.
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Actors Gabriel Union and Keegan-Michael Key, who are part of Casamigos’ World Cup campaign, talk with USA TODAY’s Ralphie Aversa about… a lot.
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As Americans, there are many things we take for granted, like Taco Bell, Target runs, air conditioning, and yellow school buses. But with the United States co-hosting the FIFA World Cup, international tourists are posting videos admiring the little things in everyday life, like Texas barbecue and unpretentious hospitality.
This endearing, wholesome (and often funny) phenomenon is a welcome painkiller in divisive times. U.S. tourism has plummeted in recent years, with some foreigners raising concerns about gun violence, LGBTQ discrimination and detention by immigration officers. But with the World Cup underway, soccer fans around the world are discovering a side of America that doesn’t usually make the headlines.
“International media often focuses on political conflicts and controversies,” says Rachel J.C. Hu, Ph.D., chair and professor in the Department of Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management at the University of Florida.
Rather, “visitors are encountering something different when they arrive,” Fu added. “They are encountering ordinary Americans: restaurant workers, hotel workers, retail workers, and strangers who hold doors open, give directions, and strike up conversations. These everyday interactions often leave a stronger impression than political stories.”
How the World Cup is making people feel “better about America”
Leading up to the June 11 game kickoff, there was a lot of talk about whether Americans’ excitement had waned before and after the World Cup. Issues such as inflation and the war with Iran have led many on both sides to balk, and President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have hit an all-time low.
But no matter where you stand, these viral videos have given people a chance to take a step back and take pride in America’s homegrown delights like Waffle House and McDonald’s.
“These aren’t upscale places, they’re places that are accessible to a lot of Americans, so there’s a certain sense of unity,” said Douglas Hartman, a sociology professor at the University of Minnesota. For those who currently oppose the administration, “there’s a kind of ambivalence and sadness, especially about not being able to celebrate the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary of the United States. But seeing how people in other parts of the world are celebrating American culture has given many Americans permission to be patriotic.”
The World Cup puts all hosts under scrutiny during the month-long tournament. In 2014, large-scale protests in Brazil made global headlines over the government’s spending billions of dollars to build stadiums and appearing to roll back essential public services. The 2018 Games in Russia similarly came under fire with accusations of bribery and worker exploitation.
This summer’s World Cup has so far caused a stir across the U.S. due to soaring ticket prices and visa issues. Still, the constant positive posts from foreigners are going a long way in reconstructing the overall picture.
“They’re giving people a slightly better impression of America,” said Joel Penny, an associate professor of cultural studies and political communication at Montclair State University. “But it’s also very apolitical. It’s really not a question of, ‘Oh, look at America! Well-run or poorly run!'” It’s really about what’s emblematic of American consumer culture. ”
The atmosphere may change if President Trump gets involved.
Hu suspects that all this free publicity could actually benefit U.S. tourism in the coming months and years.
“Tourism is influenced by perceptions, and perceptions are increasingly shaped by peer-to-peer content rather than traditional advertising campaigns,” says Hu. “When travelers see authentic videos from other visitors expressing surprise or admiration, those messages are often more believable than official tourism marketing. The World Cup offers something of value: millions of authentic ambassadors.”
President Trump is scheduled to attend the World Cup final on July 19 and present the trophy to the winner. But Hartman warns that if the administration tries to use all the goodwill to push a particular narrative, it could undermine the feel-good atmosphere on social media.
For now, “this is something to celebrate about American culture that is separate from President Trump,” Hartman said. “But if politics got involved, it probably wouldn’t be as fun. If Trump wants to take credit for considering his own opinions, or starts saying ‘ruin the rest of us’ while boasting about why we really are the greatest country in the world, that could happen. And that would destroy the international sympathy and support that we’ve built up in the fun and joy of the first few weeks of the game.”
“It’s a strange dynamic,” Hartman continues. “Americans are so divided that we almost need other people, especially Europeans, to tell us that we’re not that bad. It reminds me of Sally Field’s Oscar speech where she said, ‘You like me!’ That’s the American attitude: ‘Oh, you really like us?’
