Football fans around the world are gathering to watch the World Cup together, from small neighbourhood living rooms to giant outdoor screens.
In city squares, stadium plazas, cafes and packed fan zones, supporters in team colours and painted faces follow every kick, tackle and goal.
Some stay up late or wake before dawn to catch matches across time zones, crowding into makeshift viewing tents, community halls and rooftop spaces.
Others watch quietly at home with family and friends, turning their living rooms into mini stadiums.
This photo gallery looks at how a global tournament reaches into everyday life – uniting strangers, amplifying local rivalries and offering brief moments of escape, celebration and hope wherever the game is being watched.
Fans gather at a coffee shop in Aden, Yemen, to watch the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa. [Abdulnasser Alseddik/AP Photo]Brazil fans sing during a public watch party for the Brazil-Morocco match in Central Park in New York City. [Andres Kudacki/AP Photo]Qatar fans celebrate after the match against Switzerland in Santa Clara, California, near San Francisco. [Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo]Mexico fans celebrate a goal while watching a live broadcast of the Mexico-South Africa match at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. [Jae C. Hong/AP Photo]South Korea fans react while watching a live broadcast of the World Cup Group A match against Czechia, played in Mexico, at a public viewing venue in Seoul. [Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo]A fan reacts while watching the Cape Verde-Spain match at a viewing centre in Mindelo, on Sao Vicente island, Cape Verde. [Queila Fernandes/AP Photo]Haiti fans watch their team’s match against Scotland, played in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during a viewing party in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. [Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo]Saudi Arabia fans cheer in a pedestrian zone during the World Cup in Vancouver, British Columbia. [Abbie Parr/AP Photo]Sweden fans celebrate after the match against Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico. [Sofia Yaker/AP Photo]Egypt fans celebrate their team’s opening goal against Belgium at a Cairo coffee shop, with graffiti of star player Mohamed Salah in the background. [Amr Nabil/AP Photo]Fans watch the Germany-Curacao match in the inner courtyard of the Kulturbrauerei in Berlin, Germany. [Ebrahim Noroozi/AP Photo]Supporters watch a live broadcast of the Australia-Turkey World Cup match on a giant screen at the historic Yedikule fortress in Istanbul, Turkey. [Emrah Gurel/AP Photo]Haiti fans watch their team’s match against Scotland from a tree during a World Cup viewing party in Port-au-Prince. [Odelyn Joseph/AP Photo]Paraguay fans watch their team’s match against the United States in Asuncion, Paraguay. [Jorge Saenz/AP Photo]Fans at a Homeless Workers Movement housing occupation in Sao Paulo, Brazil, celebrate Brazil’s goal against Morocco during a World Cup watch party. [Ettore Chiereguini/AP Photo]People watch the opening match of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Africa in Cairo, Egypt. [Mahmoud Khaled/AP Photo]Bosnia fans celebrate their team’s opening goal against Canada while watching the game at a fan festival in Sarajevo. [Armin Durgut/AP Photo]A family watches the World Cup opening match in Vereeniging, South Africa. [Themba Hadebe/AP Photo]Iranians watch their team’s 2026 World Cup match against New Zealand at Tehran Book Garden in the country’s capital. [AFP]Fans watch the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa on the National Mall in Washington, DC. [Allison Robbert/AP Photo]
