Football fans will soon crisscross continents to see their beloved national teams compete on the sport’s grandest stage, the World Cup. They’ll pack bars and fan zones, singing chants and debating who is going to win it all.This time, however, it’s different for some superfans, who say organizers have made this summer’s World Cup the least welcoming one they have experienced. Ticket prices, expensive cross-country travel, and concerns about entering the US have prompted some of them to stay home.

Some fans have been priced out of the World Cup in North America, which some critics say is part of a wider shift in sporting culture.

The 2026 World Cup has drawn intense criticism from globe-trotting fans who over the years have helped define the tournament's festive atmosphere