The soccer fans who fell in love with America during the World Cup

The 2026 World Cup was an undeniable sensation in the United States, setting records for television ratings while millions of fans piled into stadiums to take in all the action.

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What happened off the field was arguably just as exciting, as people from all over the world traveled to the U.S. not only to watch their favorite teams and players perform, but to engage in a cultural exchange with Americans.

With the World Cup coming to a close with Sunday’s final, here are some of the best off-the-pitch moments from the summer tournament.

The love affair between Algeria and Kansas City

Kansas City was the smallest host city in the United States, but that didn’t stop Algerian fans from having a big party in the Midwest. Kansas City hosted a group match between Argentina and Algeria, which drew fans from both countries into a city with a population of a little over 500,000.

The Algerian contingent seemed especially happy with their trip, with many also enjoying their time in nearby Lawrence, Kansas.

“A lot of people don’t even know Algeria exists. And it’s the same for us. We had never heard of Lawrence until the Algerian team came here. The people were very, very welcoming, and they adopted the Algerian team,” Hanafi Habbas told NBC affiliate KSHB in Kansas City.

David Sauter, who runs a local T-shirt printing shop in Lawrence, said his sales exceeded his typical Christmas figures.

“It has been so wonderful how everyone here has just been open with open arms, welcoming people. The Algerians have been amazing,” Sauter said.

The ‘Viking Row’ becomes a sensation

Playing in the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, Norway quickly endeared itself to the greater soccer community thanks to its now-infamous “Viking Row” celebration.

Mimicking a group of Vikings in a longboat, Norwegian fans typically do the celebration while seated at a match, chanting “Row!” as they pull imaginary oars to the beat of a drum.

During the World Cup, Norway’s fans brought the celebration everywhere, including a New York Mets game at Citi Field, Times Square and even an escalator in Boston. Norway’s team finally got in on the fun, doing their own row after a 3-2 win over Senegal in the group stage.

“It’s about rowing for the team,” Ole Frøystad, the fan credited with popularizing the celebration, told NBC News. “Making sure that we get the team to feel good on the pitch, make them perform the way that they should, and just support them in every way that we can.”

Everybody loves ranch dressing

Of all the American foods that caught on with foreigners during the World Cup — from gas stations like Buc-ees to diners like Waffle House — perhaps no singular item excited soccer fans as much as ranch dressing.

Ranch appeared to take the World Cup by storm, at one point even drawing a response from the TSA, which playfully warned fans about bringing bottles out of the country.

The Tartan Army takeover

Scotland’s soccer fans, known as the Tartan Army, made their presence felt during the World Cup in cities such as Boston and Miami.

In Miami, thousands of Scottish fans marched from a local bar to a Miami Marlins baseball game, bringing with them their signature kilts and bagpipes.

Most memorably, in Boston, the Tartan Army partied so hard it started drinking bars dry. The company behind the beer Sam Adams told NBC Boston its Boston Taproom ran out of Samuel Adams Boston Lager one weekend because of the Tartan Army, which drank four times as much beer as is consumed on a typical four-day weekend.

“We’ve never seen anything like it,” Billy DeCain of the Sam Adams Boston Taproom told NBC Boston.

The lemonade stand with an international fan base

In Texas, one family was left with a lifetime of memories after its backyard lemonade stand drew visitors from all over the world.

Heather Hannish and her husband, Ernesto Gloria, sold $2 lemonades and other cold drinks at their backyard stand along the walk to the stadium hosting matches in Arlington, Texas. Hannish and Gloria met fans who traveled from as far as Japan and India, and started keeping a notebook for visitors to leave messages.

“Being able to share this is something that I can’t even begin to articulate or even really fully comprehend,” Hannish told KXAS-TV in Dallas-Fort Worth. “I think really most people are very good at heart and just want the best for everyone else.”