What’s the World Cup buzz like in Columbus? And where are the watch parties?
North America officially welcomed the world Thursday for the 23rd edition of international soccer’s ultimate tournament: the FIFA World Cup.
The first of 104 games kicked off at the historic Mexico City Stadium on June 11 as one of three host nations, Mexico, beat South Africa 2-0.
The year’s tournament is bigger than ever. Spanning across the United States, Mexico and Canada, 48 national teams, increased from 32 in past editions, will play in 16 major cities with the goal of lifting the World Cup trophy in New Jersey next month. But across the United States, the buzz for the world’s most popular sporting tournament has been subdued.
Soccer isn’t necessarily unpopular in America. According to Spectrum News, a nighttime friendly between superstar Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on June 9 drew the largest crowd for a soccer game in the state with 88,043 people. That means other factors are likely contributing to the lull in hype.
Ticket prices for the 2026 edition are exorbitant, averaging about $1,000 for a group stage game. Recent federal immigration policy and travel restrictions have also tainted perceptions about the games. This week, U.S. Immigration and Border Protection in Miami denied Africa’s top referee, Omar Artan of Somalia, entry into the country to work at the World Cup because of “vetting concerns.”
The attention of American sports fans is also diverted. On the eve of the World Cup, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL are playing in the Stanley Cup Final while the high-profile NBA Finals feature a showdown between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs.
Kenneth Wells, a local soccer fan who started attending Columbus State University soccer games two years ago, said Columbus residents tend to follow other sports.
“I don’t think a lot of people really watch soccer that much, but I like it,” Wells told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Another local soccer fan, Arron Cook, said he became hooked on the sport while living in Germany during the 1990 World Cup and witnessing the intense soccer frenzy abroad.
“Where I grew up in Pittsburgh, it was all football, baseball, hockey, but this sport was really the number one sport in the world,” Cook told the L-E. “I could tell by watching the fans.”
Where to watch the World Cup in Columbus
A quick online search of World Cup-themed events in Columbus yields few results. Columbus United, a USL League 2 semiprofessional team that plays at A.J. McClung Memorial Stadium, is hosting watch parties throughout the summer at Highside Market in Columbus.
At the first watch party for the tournament opener, about 30 people gathered at Highside Market at kickoff to watch Mexico’s match against South Africa. Columbus United general manager Eleni Hitchcock, expects crowds to expand for weekend games, including the U.S. men’s national team’s opening game against Paraguay at 9 p.m. June 12.
Although Columbus is not as big a soccer market as places like Atlanta, Columbus United hopes to grow the local community for the game, Hitchcock said.
“We’ve become a hub for everyone to be able to enjoy games outside of Premier League and other stuff that they watch at home,” Hitchcock told the L-E. “What we’re trying to do is to create a place for people to hang out and spend time together.”
Bars are also a great place to watch soccer for camaraderie and atmosphere in Columbus. Nonic’s Restaurant & Rooftop Bar posted on Instagram that World Cup games will be played on “every screen.” Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom and Agave Bar and Grill have posted about watch parties on Facebook. Other bars could show games, but online promotion is low compared to similar-sized cities in Columbus.
Several bars and restaurants in Savannah are planning World Cup-themed events, and Visit Savannah has put together a World Cup visitors guide. Business in Macon are likewise hosting several special events.
But even with fewer World Cup related events taking place in Columbus, Cook said local soccer fans in the city are “very passionate.”
“A lot of people play,” Cook said. “A lot of people watch it on TV, and they’ll pay through the nose to go to the games.”
For Hitchcock and Columbus United, hosting watch parties for every World Cup match provides a chance to ramp up the buzz for soccer in the Chattahoochee Valley.
“We’re excited to continue growing the game and to use the world’s game and the biggest sporting event to continue the growth in Columbus overall,” Hitchcock said.
This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 11:04 AM.