New Delhi: FIFA had already scored the hearts of countless sports fans around the world. This year’s high-stakes match, coupled with the drama surrounding football’s greatest ever, has been weighing on every ultra’s mind. But the 2026 World Cup has managed to move beyond the stadiums and into social media feeds.
One no longer needs to be interested in football for FIFA-related content to pop up on their reels, for-you pages, and home screens. Trends, inside jokes and Norwegians’ surprising oaring skills have suddenly taken the internet by storm.
A video circulating on Instagram captured the sentiment perfectly—“a massive sleepover with the cousins you never see because your parents hate each other.”
But while the outcome of the World Cup and global political affairs remains uncertain, the camaraderie and the joy spreading through sports remain palpable and infectious.
K-drama but make it Latino
Someone call Netflix, a new love story just dropped. The Mexicans have apparently adopted the South Korean fans as one of their own, with many videos showing fans from the two countries interacting and participating in each other’s cultural activities.
For some, it seems, the ultimate score does not matter, as South Korean fans celebrate Mexico beating them 1-0.
One video perfectly summed up the interaction, saying, “Lifetime bonds are being made between nations at the World Cup.”
Mexico’s Merlin the Duck, too, has captured the attention of many. Ducks are common street-side regulars in Mexico, but a single two-year-old duck wearing the country’s jersey soon became a sensation.
In fact, the unofficial World Cup mascot even got to meet Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Also Read: Messi becomes the greatest playmaker in FIFA World Cup history. He surpasses Maradona’s record
Rise of the Tartans
Much like their national animal, the Scots, too, are unicorns. Regardless of their performance in the World Cup so far, the fans are enjoying this global football spectacle. With high spirits and higher blood alcohol levels, the Scots drank Boston dry within the first weekend of their occupation of the northeastern city. FIFA fans have affectionately dubbed the Scots the “Tartan Army.”
Even Boston Mayor Michelle Wu chanted the recently coined World Cup phrase “No Scotland, no party” while signing documents kicking off a sister city partnership with Glasgow.
The Boston Globe, the city’s oldest and largest daily newspaper, took out a full-page ad thanking the Scots for their visit.
“Dear Tartan Army, you can for the World Cup, but give us something more. For a week, you turned train stations into singalongs, Fenway into a football ground, and an ordinary June into something we’ll be talking about for years. Boston has hosted championships, parades, and celebrations of every kind. But we’ve never hosted guests quite like you all. Thank you for the laughter, the bagpipes, and the memories. The World Cup will move on. So will the songs, but we’ll never forget the joy you brought to our city,” the paper wrote.
While leaving their beloved city for Miami as the World Cup moves to the West Coast, the Tartan Army kept the energy up even at 30,000 feet above sea level.
Row, row, row your boat
Rowing away from all “reserved and cold” stereotypes about Norwegians, football fans have not missed a single opportunity to show off their incredible “Viking Row.”
The synchronised fan celebration has quickly become a staple celebratory mark in FIFA 2026. Fans sit in lines to mimic a Viking longboat, rocking back and forth in unison to a drumming beat.
Earlier on 18 June, the Norwegian parliament also supported their football team by participating in the Viking Row.
Not only are the Norwegians having a blast in the US, but they are also steadily moving up the ladder. In fact, to prepare for their recent match against Senegal, Norway fans thronged Times Square in New York City. While some fans stretched and celebrated, others took part in an early morning Yoga class.