It is typically taboo to approach strangers on the subway. But this isn’t a typical New York City summer.
Not with the World Cup sweeping the United States, Mexico and Canada, including eight matches at the Meadowlands.
Not with hordes of soccer fans from Europe, South America, Asia and Australia descending upon the biggest North American cities — all for the same reason — while bringing their unique cultures and traditions with them.
So when a woman, in a distinctly British accent, made an unsolicited comment to a younger fan in a Germany jersey as he hopped aboard a Manhattan-bound F train, it wasn’t met with an eye roll or a cold shoulder.
“You must be happy,” the woman said.
“Oh yeah!” replied the young man.
It was June 20, and Germany had just eked out a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over the underdog Ivory Coast.
For the rest of this subway ride, this unlikely duo — fans of bitter-rival teams, but united in a love of soccer — chatted about the sport.
That’s just one example of how World Cup fever is manifesting in New York City and the States.
While interest in the tournament has been decidedly mixed among Americans (more on that later), the international diehards who traveled here have made their presence felt.
Lively Scotland fans — known as the “Tartan Army” — turned the Boston streets into an impromptu parade last month, blaring bagpipes and marching in kilts on their way to Fenway Park. They were still elated a day after Scotland opened the group stage with a win over Haiti in nearby Foxborough.
Boston bars literally ran out of beer, with the parent company of Sam Adams saying its local taproom sold four times the normal amount during the Tartan Army’s takeover.
Norwegian fans have been similarly rambunctious.
They’ve filled stadiums with their booming chants and viral “Viking row” celebrations — on soccer game days, and when dozens of Norwegians congregated at Citi Field to watch the Mets face the Chicago Cubs for the first game of a June 24 doubleheader.
The Norwegians were the stars of Citi Field that day, weaving through rows in the center-field stands in conga lines, even as the Cubs tagged Mets ace Nolan McLean for six runs in six innings.
“I think the people of the United States have gotten a sense of what it’s like to be a real football fan,” Marie Lian, 25, of Bergen, Norway, told the Daily News.
“The Norway fans and, especially the Scotland fans, have brought a European hype to the [World Cup] that I think people are happy to experience.”
Norway fans congregated at Citi Field for a Mets game on June 24. (Photo by Peter Sblendorio)
Soccer organizations from countries including Norway and Sweden have assembled events — such as that Mets game — to help smaller contingents of their visiting fans get together in the U.S.
But much of the reveling has been totally organic.
Before matches along the East Coast, thousands of fans from France, England, Panama, Argentina and other countries have filled Times Square to sing, cheer and wave flags with their countrymen and countrywomen.
To this point, those celebrations have been rowdy but civil, with rival fan bases showing respect to one another in these moments of soccer-loving unity.
“It just brings the best out of the countries themselves,” said Ricardo Acevedo, 42, of Panama City, who attended one of the Times Square meet-ups before England defeated Panama, 2-0, in the Meadowlands on June 27.
“Whether you’re a small country, from Panama, or you’re contending to win the World Cup with England, it brings out the best in all of them.”
Ricardo Acevedo of Panama City (center) with his friends at New York New Jersey Stadium on June 27. (Photo by Peter Sblendorio)
The games at MetLife Stadium — temporarily renamed “New York New Jersey Stadium” for the World Cup — have been similarly electric.
Traditional juggernauts such as France and England have predictably commanded considerable portions of the stadium’s 80,663-seat capacity, but the fan bases of smaller countries have shown up, too.
Part of that is because people from all over the world already live in the U.S. — and New York, in particular.
“In the United States, you have the melting pot. You’re always going to have somebody, from any country that’s playing,” said Yehisu Filos, 47, who is originally from Panama City but now lives in Orlando. He made the trip to New Jersey for the Panama-England game.
“When it’s small like mine — and Panama is really small — or Cabo Verde, which is really small, you still have fans here. You still have fans supporting them.”
And New York is at the center of it all.
Not only is New York New Jersey Stadium hosting more games than any other venue, it will be the site of the final on July 19.
Media members and social-media users have been critical of the decision to hold the final here — normally the much-maligned home of the Giants and Jets — but the fans actually going to the games have been more receptive.
Several lauded the size of MetLife, saying it aligns with some of England’s top soccer venues.
Others praised the fact it’s an open-air stadium — unlike, say, Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, which has a retractable roof that largely stays closed during Texas’ scorching summers.
“The stadium looks nice,” Tobias Wetterlund, 41, of Stockholm told The News before Sweden lost to France, 3-0, in the Meadowlands on June 30. “The surroundings could be nicer, but the stadium itself, it’s nice.”
“I think it’s a good stadium, but we know it won’t be affordable for everybody,” added French-born Ingrid Cabrae, 34, who now lives in Brooklyn.
Ingrid Cabrae (right) was among the France supporters who watched a 3-0 win over Sweden on June 30. (Photo by Peter Sblendorio)
It’s no secret soccer hasn’t achieved the same level of mainstream popularity in the U.S. as football, baseball, basketball or hockey.
While most bars and restaurants in the five boroughs are showing World Cup games — many have even added TVs to air them — it’s also quite possible for those who aren’t interested in the event to ignore it.
The Knicks’ championship run bled into the start of the World Cup, which served as a local distraction, while all of the other forms of art and entertainment New York certainly haven’t disappeared this summer.
The World Cup is here, but to locals, it’s not necessarily everything.
“In Europe, it’s more football-focused, football fans,” said Christoffer Lindberg, 40, of Stockholm, who also attended the World Cups in Germany (2006) and Russia (2018).
“It’s honestly [been] more like a regular trip to the U.S., but with going to games and stuff like that. If you’re outside of the arena or the fan festival, you don’t notice the World Cup that much.”
Still, there seems to be some momentum.
About 40% of U.S. adults said they have been following the World Cup on social media, while about 27% said they have or planned to watch a game at a bar or restaurant, according to an Ipsos Sports poll published by The Associated Press.
That poll took place after the U.S. team advanced out of the group stage but before it defeated Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
“The longer the World Cup has been going on, the more you can feel the vibe from the U.S. people as well,” said Wetterlund, who, in a party with Lindberg, followed Sweden throughout Texas before traveling to watch them at the Meadowlands.
“The U.S. has been playing well. There’s a bit more talk about football, soccer. I think the overall ambience is getting better and better, and that goes with the U.S. playing well.”
But the ambience is undeniable among the international crowd — something that should continue Sunday as Norway faces Brazil in the Meadowlands in the Round of 16.
“Growing up in the UK in the ‘80s, where there was a bit more segregation of fans, I love the fact that, here, you’re walking through the streets with England fans, Panama fans, and everybody’s just getting on,” said Paul Lowther, 48, of Caversham, England, who now lives in Toronto.
“It doesn’t matter your culture or background. Everyone’s here just to have a good time.”