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American fans slammed for doing 'weirdest thing ever seen' at soccer match ahead of World Cup
Home>News>Sport
Published 09:10 12 Jun 2026 GMT+1

American fans slammed for doing 'weirdest thing ever seen' at soccer match ahead of World Cup

It was captured on camera as England faced Costa Rica in a World Cup warm-up match

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

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Featured Image Credit: Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Topics: Football, World Cup, Sport, US News

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

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US soccer fans have been slammed by large parts of the internet for doing the 'weirdest thing ever seen' during a warm up game for the World Cup.

The sporting tournament has officially kicked off with two matches having taken place in Mexico on Thursday (June 11).

Fellow co-hosts the US and Canada follow on Friday, though the internet is still not over a game prior to Mexico's opener against South Africa.

England faced off against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday (June 10) in what was the Three Lions' final warmup match before they face off against Croatia in Dallas next week.

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Thomas Tuchel's men ultimately triumphed with a three-nil victory following goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins.

But what was happening in the stands caught the eyes of many viewers, and it's fair to say many European football fans were pretty disgusted after noticing what was happening in the Inter&Co Stadium.

England beat Costa Rica in Orlando (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
England beat Costa Rica in Orlando (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

As Rice lined up to take a corner midway through the first half, viewers spotted fans sitting at tables tucking into some food like they were at a picnic.

This is quite the contrast to the traditional soccer match, which sees supporters packed into stands and cheering their team on.

And as you'd probably expect, many fans flocked to social media in disbelief.

"Weirdest thing you will ever see at a football match," one person wrote on X, while a second added: "Americans are intent on desecrating the beautiful game."

A third penned: "At a f***ing stadium there’s a round table and they’re eating! Not even inside the box!! Naaaah! This is not it!”

Fans were not impressed... (ITV)
Fans were not impressed... (ITV)

And a fourth questioned: "WTF is modern day football."

I'm sure they'll be plenty more viral moments with the US hosting the World Cup over the next five weeks.

2026 World Cup fixture schedule and US kick off times (PDT)

Thursday, 11 June

Group A: Mexico vs South Africa, kick-off 12pm - Mexico City, Mexico

Group A: South Korea vs Czech Republic, kick-off 7pm - Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, 12 June

Group B: Canada vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 12pm - Toronto, Canada

Group D: USA vs Paraguay, kick-off 6pm - Los Angeles, US

Saturday, June 13

Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland, kick-off 12pm - Santa Clara, US

Group C: Brazil vs Morocco, kick-off 3pm - New Jersey, US

Group C: Haiti vs Scotland, kick-off 6pm - Foxborough, US

Group D: Australia vs Turkey, kick-off 9pm - Vancouver, Canada

Sunday, June 14

Group E: Germany vs Curacao, kick-off 10am - Houston, US

Group F: Netherlands vs Japan, kick-off 1pm - Arlington, US

Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador, kick-off 4pm - Philadelphia, US

Group F: Sweden vs Tunisia, kick-off 7pm - Guadalupe, Mexico

The US will be hoping to go far in their home World Cup (UNILAD/John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
The US will be hoping to go far in their home World Cup (UNILAD/John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)

Monday, 15 June

Group H: Spain vs Cape Verde, kick-off 9am - Atlanta, US

Group G: Belgium vs Egypt, kick-off 12pm - Seattle, US

Group H: Saudi Arabia vs Uruguay, kick-off 3pm - Miami, US

Group G: Iran vs New Zealand, kick-off 6pm - Los Angeles, US

Tuesday, 16 June

Group I: France vs Senegal, kick-off 12pm - New Jersey, US

Group I: Iraq vs Norway, kick-off 3pm - Foxborough, US

Group J: Argentina vs Algeria, kick-off 6pm - Kansas City, US

Group J: Austria vs Jordan, kick-off 9pm - Santa Clara, US

Wednesday, 17 June

Group K: Portugal vs DR Congo, kick-off 10am - Houston, US

Group L: England vs Croatia, kick-off 1pm - Arlington, US

Group L: Ghana vs Panama, kick-off 4pm - Toronto, Canada

Group K: Uzbekistan vs Colombia, kick-off 7pm - Mexico City, Mexico

Thursday, 18 June

Group A: Czech Republic vs South Africa, kick-off 9am - Atlanta, US

Group B: Switzerland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina, kick-off 12pm - Los Angeles, US

Group B: Canada vs Qatar, kick-off 3pm - Vancouver, Canada

Group A: Mexico vs South Korea, kick-off 6pm - Zapopan, Mexico

Friday, 19 June

Group D: USA vs Australia, kick-off 12pm - Seattle, US

Group C: Scotland vs Morocco, kick-off 3pm - Foxborough, US

Group C: Brazil vs Haiti, kick-off 5.30pm - Philadelphia, US

Group D: Turkey vs Paraguay, kick-off 8pm - Santa Clara, US

Saturday, 20 June

Group A: Netherlands vs Sweden, kick-off 10am - Houston, US

Group E: Germany vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 1pm - Toronto, Canada

Group E: Ecuador vs Curacao, kick-off 5pm - Kansas City, US

Group F: Tunisia vs Japan, kick-off 9pm - Guadalupe, Mexico

Sunday, 21 June

Group H: Spain vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 9am - Atlanta, US

Group G: Belgium vs Iran, kick-off 12pm - Los Angeles, US

Group H: Uruguay vs Cape Verde, kick-off 3pm - Miami, US

Group G: New Zealand vs Egypt, kick-off 6pm - Vancouver, Canada

Monday, 22 June

Group J: Argentina vs Austria, kick-off 10am - Arlington, US

Group I: France vs Iraq, kick-off 2pm - Philadelphia, US

Group I: Norway vs Senegal, kick-off 5pm - Toronto, Canada

Group J: Jordan vs Algeria, kick-off 8pm - Santa Clara, US

Tuesday, 23 June

Group K: Portugal vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 10am - Houston, US

Group L: England vs Ghana, kick-off 1pm - Foxborough, US

Group L: Panama vs Croatia, kick-off 4pm - Foxborough, US

Group K: Colombia vs DR Congo, kick-off 7pm - Zapopan, Mexico

Wednesday, 24 June

Group B: Switzerland vs Canada, kick-off 12pm - Vancouver, Canada

Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina vs Qatar, kick-off 12pm - Seattle, US

Group C: Morocco vs Haiti, kick-off 3pm - Atlanta, US

Group C: Scotland vs Brazil, kick-off 3pm - Miami, US

Group A: South Africa vs South Korea, kick-off 6pm - Guadalupe, Mexico

Group A: Czech Republic vs Mexico, kick-off 6pm - Mexico City, Mexico

Thursday, 25 June

Group E: Curacao vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 1pm - Philadelphia, US

Group E: Ecuador vs Germany, kick-off 1pm - New Jersey, US

Group F: Tunisia vs Netherlands, kick-off 4pm - Kansas City, US

Group F: Japan vs Sweden, kick-off 4pm - Arlington, US

Group D: Turkey vs USA, kick-off 7pm - Los Angeles, US

Group D: Paraguay vs Australia, kick-off 7pm - Santa Clara, US

Friday, 26 June

Group I: Norway vs France, kick-off 12pm - Foxborough, US

Group I: Senegal vs Iraq, kick-off 12pm - Toronto, Canada

Group H: Cape Verde vs Saudi Arabia, kick-off 5pm - Houston, US

Group H: Uruguay vs Spain, kick-off 5pm - Zapopan, Mexico

Group G: New Zealand vs Belgium, kick-off 8pm - Vancouver, Canada

Group G: Egypt vs Iran, kick-off 8pm - Seattle, US

Saturday, 27 June

Group L: Panama vs England, kick-off 2pm - New Jersey, US

Group L: Croatia vs Ghana, kick-off 2pm - Philadelphia, US

Group K: Colombia vs Portugal, kick-off 4.30pm - Miami, US

Group K: DR Congo vs Uzbekistan, kick-off 4.30pm - Atlanta, US

Group J: Algeria vs Austria, kick-off 7pm - Kansas City, US

Group J: Jordan vs Argentina, kick-off 7pm - Arlington, US

Sunday, 28 June

Round of 32 - Match 73: Group A runners-up vs Group B runners-up, kick-off 12pm - Los Angeles, US

Monday, 29 June

Round of 32 - Match 76: Group C winners vs Group F runners-up, kick-off 10am - Houston, US

Round of 32 - Match 74: Group E winners vs Group A/B/C/D/F third place, kick-off 1.30pm - Foxborough, US

Round of 32 - Match 75: Group F winners vs Group C runners-up, kick-off 6pm - Guadalupe, Mexico

Tuesday, 30 June

Round of 32 - Match 78: Group E runners-up vs Group I runners-up, kick-off 10am - Arlington, US

Round of 32 - Match 77: Group I winners vs Group C/D/F/G/H third place, kick-off 2pm - New Jersey, US

Round of 32 - Match 79: Group A winners vs Group C/E/F/H/I third place, kick-off 6pm - Mexico City, Mexico

Wednesday, 1 July

Round of 32 - Match 80: Group L winners vs Group E/H/I/J/K third place, kick-off 9am - Atlanta, US

Round of 32 - Match 82: Group G winners vs Group A/E/H/I/J third place, kick-off 1pm - Seattle, US

Round of 32 - Match 81: Group D winners vs Group B/E/F/I/J third place, kick-off 5pm - Santa Clara, US

Thursday, 2 July

Round of 32 - Match 84: Group H winners vs Group J runners-up, kick-off 12pm - Los Angeles, US

Round of 32 - Match 83: Group K runners-up vs Group L runners-up, kick-off 4pm - Toronto, Canada

Round of 32 - Match 85: Group B winners vs Group E/F/G/I/J third place, kick-off 8pm - Vancouver, Canada

Friday, 3 July

Round of 32 - Match 88: Group D runners-up vs Group G runners-up, kick-off 11am - Arlington, US

Round of 32 - Match 86: Group J winners vs Group H runners-up, kick-off 3pm - Miami, US

Round of 32 - Match 87: Group K winners vs Group D/E/I/J/L third place, kick-off 6.30pm - Kansas City, US

Saturday, 4 July

Round of 16 - Match 90: Match 73 winners vs Match 75 winners, kick-off 10am - Houston, US

Round of 16 - Match 89: Match 74 winners vs Match 77 winners, kick-off 2pm - Philadelphia, US

Sunday, 5 July

Round of 16 - Match 91: Match 76 winners vs Match 78 winners, kick-off 1pm - New Jersey, US

Round of 16 - Match 92: Match 79 winners vs Match 80 winners, kick-off 5pm - Mexico City, Mexico

Monday, 6 July

Round of 16 - Match 93: Match 83 winners vs Match 84 winners, kick-off 12pm - Arlington, US

Round of 16 - Match 94: Match 81 winners vs Match 82 winners, kick-off 5pm - Seattle, US

Tuesday, 7 July

Round of 16 - Match 95: Match 86 winners vs Match 88 winners, kick-off 9am - Atlanta, US

Round of 16 - Match 96: Match 85 winners vs Match 87 winners, kick-off 1pm - Vancouver, Canada

Thursday, 9 July

Quarter-final - Match 97: Match 89 winners vs Match 90 winners, kick-off 1pm - Foxborough, US

Friday, 10 July

Quarter-final - Match 98: Match 93 winners vs Match 94 winners, kick-off 12pm - Los Angeles, US

Saturday, 11 July

Quarter-final - Match 99: Match 91 winners vs Match 92 winners, kick-off 2pm - Miami, US

Quarter-final - Match 100: Match 95 winners vs Match 96 winners, kick-off 6pm - Kansas City, US

Tuesday, 14 July

Semi-final - Match 101: Match 97 winners vs Match 98 winners, kick-off 12pm - Arlington, US

Wednesday, 15 July

Semi-final - Match 102: Match 99 winners vs Match 100 winners, kick-off 12pm - Atlanta, US

Saturday, 18 July

Third Place Playoff - Match 103: Match 101 losers vs Match 102 losers, kick-off 2pm - Miami, US

Sunday, 19 July

Final - Match 104: Match 101 winners vs Match 102 winners, kick-off 12pm - New Jersey, US

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