With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in full swing, new search data conducted by the team at ProfitDuel has revealed which U.S. states were gripped by soccer fever ahead of the biggest tournament in sporting history.
The 2026 World Cup is unlike anything the sport has ever seen before. For the first time, three nations – the United States, Mexico, and Canada – co-host the tournament. There are 48 national teams competing across 104 matches in 16 host cities between June 11 and July 19, 2026.
The United States is staging the majority of the action, hosting 78 matches across 11 cities, while Mexico and Canada each host 13 games. The final itself will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, officially named “New York New Jersey Stadium” for the tournament.
Ahead of the summer showdown, ProfitDuel analyzed average monthly Google searches for the term “World Cup” across every U.S. state over a three-month period, adjusting figures per 100,000 residents to reveal where excitement is burning hottest.
The build-up to major sporting events also sees fans searching for a wide range of related content, from fixtures and team news to different online strategies like arbitrage betting, reflecting the broader online interest surrounding tournaments of this scale.
New Jersey Tops America’s World Cup Rankings
According to the data, New Jersey ranks as America’s most World Cup-obsessed state, recording 282.6 searches per 100,000 residents – narrowly edging out California.
That figure is especially significant, given that New Jersey will host the 2026 World Cup Final, making the state the epicentre of world soccer this summer.
California ranked second overall with 279.6 searches per 100,000 residents, while Massachusetts (252.5), New York (247.5), and Texas (230.5) completed the top five.
America’s Top 10 Most World Cup-Mad States
Ranked by Google searches per 100,000 residents
- New Jersey – 282.6
- California – 279.6
- Massachusetts – 252.5
- New York – 247.5
- Texas – 230.5
- Washington – 224.2
- Connecticut – 218.8
- Illinois – 212.8
- Virginia – 202.4
- Nevada – 199.3
America’s Soccer Boom Is Real
The data also highlights just how rapidly soccer’s popularity has grown in the United States over the past decade.
Historically viewed as a niche sport compared to the NFL, NBA, or MLB, soccer is now becoming increasingly mainstream in America – particularly among younger audiences and multicultural communities.
States traditionally associated with other sports are now among the country’s biggest World Cup hotspots. Texas, for example, which has long been considered the heartland of American football, ranked fifth nationally for World Cup search interest.
Georgia, Maryland, Oregon, and Kansas also posted surprisingly strong numbers, suggesting anticipation for the tournament is spreading well beyond host cities.
Which States Care Least About the World Cup?
At the opposite end of the rankings, West Virginia recorded the lowest level of World Cup interest in the country, with just 49.9 searches per 100,000 residents.
Mississippi (54.1), Alaska (61.3), Montana (62.5), and Arkansas (76.6) rounded out the bottom five.
While interest remains lower in some rural states, the overall national picture points toward unprecedented anticipation ahead of the largest World Cup ever staged.
Full Rankings
| State | Avg. Monthly Searches Over 3 Month Period for “World Cup” in the U.S. Leading Up To The Tournament | Population | Searches per 100,000 |
| New Jersey | 27,100 | 9,590,076 | 282.6 |
| California | 110,000 | 39,345,844 | 279.6 |
| Massachusetts | 18,100 | 7,169,608 | 252.5 |
| New York | 49,500 | 20,003,435 | 247.5 |
| Texas | 74,000 | 32,101,064 | 230.5 |
| Washington | 18,100 | 8,074,082 | 224.2 |
| Connecticut | 8,100 | 3,702,543 | 218.8 |
| Illinois | 27,100 | 12,735,249 | 212.8 |
| Virginia | 18,100 | 8,940,572 | 202.4 |
| Nevada | 6,600 | 3,310,833 | 199.3 |
| Georgia | 22,200 | 11,401,288 | 194.7 |
| Maryland | 12,100 | 6,285,380 | 192.5 |
| Oregon | 8,100 | 4,281,848 | 189.2 |
| Kansas | 5,400 | 2,989,188 | 180.7 |
| Florida | 40,500 | 23,659,198 | 171.2 |
| Rhode Island | 1,900 | 1,118,627 | 169.9 |
| Colorado | 9,900 | 6,036,620 | 164 |
| North Carolina | 18,100 | 11,343,875 | 159.6 |
| Arizona | 12,100 | 7,691,212 | 157.3 |
| Missouri | 9,900 | 6,297,538 | 157.2 |
| Utah | 5,400 | 3,574,825 | 151.1 |
| Delaware | 1,600 | 1,069,781 | 149.6 |
| Nebraska | 2,900 | 2,030,421 | 142.8 |
| Pennsylvania | 18,100 | 13,073,016 | 138.5 |
| Minnesota | 8,100 | 5,863,405 | 138.1 |
| New Hampshire | 1,900 | 1,422,166 | 133.6 |
| Michigan | 12,100 | 10,155,806 | 119.1 |
| Indiana | 8,100 | 7,011,912 | 115.5 |
| New Mexico | 2,400 | 2,124,222 | 113 |
| Vermont | 720 | 642,805 | 112 |
| Hawaii | 1,600 | 1,430,688 | 111.8 |
| Iowa | 3,600 | 3,246,320 | 110.9 |
| Wisconsin | 6,600 | 5,988,406 | 110.2 |
| Oklahoma | 4,400 | 4,148,818 | 106.1 |
| Ohio | 12,100 | 11,940,399 | 101.3 |
| South Carolina | 5,400 | 5,650,232 | 95.6 |
| Kentucky | 4,400 | 4,629,682 | 95 |
| South Dakota | 880 | 943,078 | 93.3 |
| Idaho | 1,900 | 2,058,594 | 92.3 |
| Maine | 1,300 | 1,421,310 | 91.5 |
| North Dakota | 720 | 805,329 | 89.4 |
| Tennessee | 6,600 | 7,378,861 | 89.4 |
| Alabama | 4,400 | 5,223,121 | 84.2 |
| Wyoming | 480 | 590,784 | 81.2 |
| Louisiana | 3,600 | 4,621,500 | 77.9 |
| Arkansas | 2,400 | 3,133,502 | 76.6 |
| Montana | 720 | 1,151,831 | 62.5 |
| Alaska | 480 | 783,003 | 61.3 |
| Mississippi | 1,600 | 2,958,148 | 54.1 |
| West Virginia | 880 | 1,764,892 | 49.9 |
The Biggest World Cup Ever
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest edition of the tournament in history.
Key tournament facts include:
- 48 teams competing (expanded from 32)
- 104 matches played across 39 days
- 16 host cities across North America
- Opening match hosted at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
- Final hosted at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey
- Bronze Final staged in Miami
The tournament is expected to draw millions of international visitors while generating enormous demand across travel, hospitality, sports betting, streaming, and merchandise industries throughout North America.
RELATED ARTICLES
