LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK, Dec 5 (Reuters) – From a Hollywood-style watch party in Los Angeles to a packed fan zone in New York’s Times Square, U.S. soccer fans reacted with pride, anticipation and nerves on Friday as the 2026 World Cup draw set the stage for next summer’s expanded tournament.
In downtown Los Angeles, soccer legends, coaches and city officials gathered to mark the city’s role as one of the key hosts of the first 48-team World Cup. Thousands of miles away in New York, fans erupted with cheers and occasional boos as groups were revealed on giant screens.
Former U.S. women’s national team star Mia Hamm said the draw – which confirmed co-hosts United States will open against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12 – had turned long-building anticipation into something more tangible.
“To bring the World Cup back to North America and show how much the sport has grown, it’s going to be amazing,” Hamm told Reuters at the Los Angeles watch party.
“Now that we know who we’re facing, the excitement really starts.”
LA Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney highlighted the global stars expected to take the field, from icons Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Spain’s teenage standout Lamine Yamal.
“Watching Messi in what could be his final World Cup is going to be incredible,” Vanney said.
Fox Sports analyst Warren Barton said Los Angeles’ gleaming SoFi Stadium would be a fitting stage for the U.S. to launch their campaign under the bright lights.
“LA loves a show, and this is the biggest show in the world,” Barton said.
‘IT’S A VIBE’
In Times Square, 13-year-old Christian Reyes, still in his kit after playing in a youth tournament on a mini pitch laid out beneath the billboards, said the draw made the World Cup feel close.
“I’m really thankful being here because it’s really competitive and a lot of great teams and players are here,” said Reyes, who plays for Blau Weiss Gottschee in Queens and was backing Brazil to lift the trophy.
His father, Marlon, had divided loyalties but said the U.S. men’s national team would be his priority.
Coach Dennis Cobbina, watching with a group of youth players, said the size and diversity of the Times Square crowd reflected what the World Cup means to the United States.
“Obviously I’m rooting for the United States,” he said. “It’s just a vibe – the culture, seeing so many people around the world being united just by a soccer ball – that’s what I love about the World Cup.”
LA WILDFIRE RECOVERY
Back in Los Angeles, officials framed the tournament as both a celebration and an investment in the city’s future.
Sam Lagana, stadium voice for the LA Rams football team, said the city’s international diversity makes it an ideal host, while LA Scores co-directors Amy O’Dowd and Erika Wilson noted that local children will serve as player escorts, calling the experience “something they’ll hold onto forever.”
LA Tourism CEO Adam Burke also noted that the World Cup will help support economic recovery in communities affected by last January’s wildfires by attracting visitors to the region.
“The matches are great, tourism is great. It’s the legacy that this event leaves behind that is the most important to us,” said Kathryn Schloessman, head of the Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee.
As the final groups appeared on screens on both coasts, fans in Los Angeles and New York shared a similar sentiment: with the draw complete and the countdown underway, the World Cup has already begun to reshape how Americans see their place in the global game.
(Reporting by Alexandra Sarabia, Alan Devall and Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Andrew Hofstetter and Roselle Chen in New York; Editing by Sam Holmes)
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