Which states held the most interest in the World Cup prior to kick-off?

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

1. New Jersey - 282.6
2. California - 279.6
3. Massachusetts - 252.5
4. New York - 247.5
5. Texas - 230.5
6. Washington - 224.2
7. Connecticut - 218.8
8. Illinois - 212.8
9. Virginia - 202.4
10. 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.