SOCCER: World Cup softens US image abroad, but challenges remain

NEW YORK — The expanded World Cup tournament and its wave of positive social media moments gave the United States’ global image a much-needed boost, although concerns over political interference and visa challenges for some fans overshadowed the action on the field as politics and sports became increasingly intertwined.

An annual democracy study released in May showed that global perceptions of the United States under the Trump administration had declined, falling below those of Russia. Issues including stricter immigration policies, broad tariffs, and the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran had affected America’s reputation worldwide.

However, while U.S. President Donald Trump’s domestic approval ratings were at their lowest point of his second term early in the tournament, a series of viral moments surrounding the World Cup appeared to improve international perceptions of Americans, at least temporarily.

Among the tournament’s most positive stories was the strong connection between Scotland’s Tartan Army supporters and Boston, as well as Algeria’s unexpected bond with Lawrence, Kansas, where the team established its training base.

The tournament also introduced many Americans to the global popularity of soccer, with fans filling viewing events and television ratings reaching record levels. Fox Sports reported an average of 5 million U.S. viewers per group-stage match, a 92% increase from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“Clearly, soccer struck an emotional chord in the United States and engaged millions of people who weren’t previously big soccer fans,” Leigh Steinberg, the agent for the U.S. national team during the 1994 World Cup, told Reuters as the American side advanced to the knockout stage.

Social media users also highlighted the tournament’s ability to bring people together, with one X user describing the World Cup as “the U.S. having a giant sleepover with the cousins we never see because our parents hate each other.”

By the final on Sunday, where Trump appeared on the field to present the trophy at the New York-New Jersey Stadium while facing boos from some fans, organizers said the tournament had achieved its goal of bringing Americans and the world closer together.

“America fell in love with the World Cup, and the world fell in love with the United States of America,” said Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House task force for the World Cup.

Trump’s World Cup Role Draws Criticism

Despite the positive moments, several controversies affected the United States’ image during the tournament.

A confrontation between a Dallas police officer and Egypt’s national team attracted attention, while a U.S. television reporter’s comment that she could not locate Bosnia and Herzegovina on a map sparked criticism ahead of the co-hosts’ Round of 32 match against the Balkan nation.

Trump’s involvement in one of the tournament’s most debated issues, the suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban, also drew criticism, although FIFA maintained that the president had no influence on its decision.

The United States had promoted the tournament as an opportunity to welcome fans from around the world, but rights groups said some supporters were denied visas to enter the country.

Jules Boykoff, author of Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, and the FIFA Greed Machine, said the Trump administration had used the tournament to strengthen its political position.

“The rest of the world is like, whoa, this is putting fairness in jeopardy,” Boykoff said at a Sport & Rights Alliance media briefing. “But domestically, he can say, ‘See, I’m a strong man who gets these international institutions to bend to my will.’” -Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell/Reuters