Pass the Popcorn: Finding Fandom Through the World Cup

July 2nd, 2026

I am a fan of fandom.

As a teenager, it was the Spice Girls. In my 20s, it was The Lord of the Rings. Then came Star Wars in my 30s, especially as my son discovered that galaxy far, far away.

But over the last few years, my fandom has shifted into sports, and right now, I’m kind of living my best life.

In recent years, I’ve become a full-blown NFL fan. During football season, you can find me on the couch every Sunday, Monday, and Thursday night with a game on television. While I’ll watch almost any team play, I follow a select few closely. There’s something comforting about having a game on while I work, cook, or tackle household chores.

So imagine my excitement when I learned the 2026 FIFA World Cup would feature 104 televised matches between June 11 and July 19.

Soccer—or football, as it’s known around the world—is the most popular sport on the planet, with an estimated 3.5 billion fans globally. I’m now happily one of them.

What has surprised me most is how welcoming football fandom feels. As someone who came to the NFL later in life, learning the rules took time, and I still occasionally find myself searching for explanations during a game. Soccer, by comparison, feels easier to jump into and enjoy.

The World Cup itself also has an appeal that feels more like the Summer Olympics than the Super Bowl. Every four years, the world’s best players set aside their club rivalries and come together to represent their countries. They become dream teams, filled with athletes who are often competitors during league play but now share a common goal.

And the fans reflect that same spirit.

Stories from this year’s tournament have highlighted visiting supporters and local residents instantly bonding in host cities—the Scots in Boston, the Brits in Dallas, the Argentinians in Kansas City. The tournament has become as much a celebration of people and culture as it is of sport.

Then there are the stars. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Lamine Yamal, Harry Kane, and Erling Haaland have all showcased extraordinary talent and athleticism. Watching these players compete and chase football’s most coveted individual honors has been nothing short of thrilling.

If you’re curious, World Cup matches are available on Fox and Telemundo, both over the air and through their streaming apps.

After spending much of this summer watching football matches—and with plenty more to come—I completely understand the hype. Even if you don’t yet have a favorite team, it’s easy to get swept up in the atmosphere and find yourself becoming soccer’s newest fan.

This has been Christine Burright for Pass the Popcorn on KVNO’s Arts Today.