For most of my life, I thought I hated all sports. My current quest to go to the World Cup doesn't make sense to most people who know me. Yet, I am feverishly searching for World Cup tickets that won't require me to take out a second mortgage on my house.
I'm often mistaken for a sports fan
I grew up in Philadelphia, which arguably has the most passionate fan base in the world. I can frequently be spotted in Eagles or Phillies gear. Like most Philadelphians, I have a huge crush on Gritty, the unhinged Flyers' mascot who rose from the sewers beneath the city to become the most beloved, and perhaps most controversial, mascot on the planet. It would be easy to mistake me for a sports fanatic, so I often have to explain my passion isn't for sports-ball. Instead, I love Philadelphia and (almost) everything associated with the city, including its unyielding passion for sports.
On the rare occasions I attend baseball games, I find excuses to leave my seat and wander the stadium, and sometimes make an excuse to leave early. I have watched every Super Bowl the Eagles have played and even went to Philadelphia to celebrate a win with an epic Super Bowl parade. However, I still need someone to explain the rules of football to me because, despite my ride-or-die loyalty to the Birds, I'm not interested enough in the sport to learn how the game is played.
My son introduced me to soccer, and I never looked back
My boredom and disinterest in the nitty-gritty of sports took an abrupt turn when my youngest son started playing soccer at school and quickly became a zealot. When I took my son to his first soccer match, a DC United game where we now live in Washington, DC, I was dreading it. I tried to feign excitement for his sake, but I knew deep down I would be incredibly bored. However, what I found surprised me and got me hooked on the sport almost immediately.
The soccer stadium was much smaller than the enormous arenas I usually associate with major league sports. That meant I could see well and feel immersed in the action, even from the cheap seats. There were fireworks at the start of the game and every time our team scored, and I loved the celebration with a spectacle usually reserved for the Fourth of July.
Plus, soccer is much easier for me to follow than other sports. As someone with a relatively short attention span, I appreciate that the game is short at just 90 minutes. Additionally, the fans are fun. I love that supporters' clubs at matches make a lot of noise with drums, adding energy to the experience.
Soccer has become a way of life
Since I went to that first match, soccer has become a way of life. My son is on a travel team and plays several times a week. The first chapter book my son read, The Academy by TZ Layton, was about soccer, and I recently picked him up from school early so he could meet the author and get his books signed among throngs of other young soccer fans asking pointed questions about plays in the books.
My family travels frequently, and we visit soccer stadiums whenever and wherever we can to take tours and learn about the sport's history. When the Club World Cup, a FIFA tournament to determine the world's best men's soccer team, was in the United States last summer, we traveled to Philadelphia to see my son's favorite team, Real Madrid, and waited outside the hotel where the players were staying so my son could catch a glimpse of the players up close.
Then, I sat enthralled through the entire match, even through a torrential downpour, and didn't mind a bit. Sometimes I don't recognize myself. Who is this person who genuinely knows players, strategy, and the names of more than a few teams in the league? I now understand why soccer is the world's most popular sport.
Now, I have World Cup fever
As soon as my son and I learned that the United States would be hosting World Cup games in 2026, we were excited and determined to make it to at least one match. Yet I have tried repeatedly to get tickets and failed. I struck out repeatedly in various World Cup lotteries, including several "exclusive" presales I could access with my credit card. Still, I am committed to finding a way to experience the World Cup with my son, and not just for him.
As a newly minted bona fide soccer fan, I know I will love the experience as well. Moreover, spending my formative years around Philadelphia sports fans who pride themselves on rioting whether they win or lose has prepared me well for any soccer hooligans I might encounter. I am ready for the biggest sporting event in the world, if I could only find a ticket.
My son constantly reminds me that since I found a way to bring my daughter to see Taylor Swift, I can make this work, too. Like many disappointed soccer fans, I am hoping outrageously inflated resale prices drop as the World Cup draws closer, although that was not my experience with the Eras Tour. Nevertheless, if my son and I can't make it to an actual match, we will still enjoy the World Cup by going to watch parties and any other special events we can find, but it won't be the same. I'm not sure what my next step will be, but I am in too deep to give up now.
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Jamie Davis Smith is a writer, attorney, and storyteller who shares insight about parenting, adventure, and everyday life. Whether navigating cobblestone streets of European cities or trying to solve her latest parenting challenge, Jamie is happiest with a coffee in her hand. Her work has been featured in National Geographic, Travel + Leisure, Fodor's Travel, Afar, The Washington Post, and several other publications. When she’s not on the road, Jamie is based in Washington, D.C., planning her next adventure with her four children in tow. Follow her on Instagram.
