Has football fever taken hold in the US?

As the World Cup enters its knockout stages, with co-hosts USA preparing to face Bosnia-Herzegovina in the last 32, questions linger about whether the tournament has truly captured the American imagination. BBC Sport revisits concerns that tickets might be too expensive, football fever might not take hold, or soccer might remain low on America's priorities. Reporters on the ground share their evolving impressions.

Initial Impressions: NBA Finals Overshadow World Cup

John Bennett, BBC World Service, landed in New York on the same day as Game 3 of the NBA Finals. “In my first week in the USA covering the tournament, it was New York Knicks fever, not World Cup fever,” he said. “There is so much going on in New York that at times in those early days it felt as though the World Cup was just another of the many tourists visiting the great city.”

Ian Dennis, BBC Radio 5 Live senior football reporter, spent a week and a half in Florida with England prior to the World Cup at non-tournament venues. “My initial impressions were extremely low-key, because there was no feel for the World Cup at that stage,” he said. Flying into New York City, he found the Knicks’ first title in 53 years overshadowed the tournament among locals.

Liz Conway, BBC Sport journalist, was cautiously optimistic. In Mexico City, the atmosphere was “unlike anything I had ever experienced,” and many covering the opening match commented that it would have been incredible if the entire tournament had been held solely in Mexico. That sentiment partly stemmed from uncertainty about US enthusiasm, with security concerns and political matters often dominating the build-up.

Sam Harris, BBC Sport journalist, noted that “the World Cup hadn't quite landed” in New York, where the Knicks’ title run was the story everyone cared about. “It reinforced my feeling that some host cities weren't fully connected to the tournament.”

Alex Howell, BBC Sport's England reporter, initially doubted the World Cup would break through amid other sporting events. “That feeling has totally changed now,” he said.

Gary Rose, BBC Sport journalist, found little interest upon arriving in Los Angeles. “There were a few small banners on lamp posts along freeways and a few billboards but it felt like functional promotion rather than excitement. Much of the focus, even thousands of miles away from New York, was on the Knicks.”

Gradual Shift: Diaspora Fans and Fan Fests Ignite Passion

As the tournament progressed, perceptions shifted. John Bennett observed that “slowly but surely you could tell that the World Cup was capturing the imagination in New York.” At an event for football fans in Harlem during week one, the venue was packed with people who lived in the USA but were originally from World Cup nations or had family ties to competing teams. “It brought home how big a part diaspora fans were going to play in the tournament and how much excitement and atmosphere that was going to create in the stadiums and the streets.”

Bennett recalled walking through Greenwich Village and seeing construction workers and businessmen stopped outside a bar, captivated by a TV screen showing the final stages of Cape Verde's heroic 0-0 draw with Spain. “World Cup fever was here,” he said.

Ian Dennis found the turning point in Atlanta. “That's when it felt more like a World Cup with supporters from different countries mingling together with a vibrant fan fest at the heart of downtown Atlanta.”