A Fox News opinion piece by Riley Gaines argues that international visitors attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States are discovering a country far friendlier and safer than the one portrayed by foreign media coverage. The article opens with the example of Sebastian, a German football fan who arrived apprehensive after years of consuming headlines depicting America as plagued by crime, division and chaos, only to have his expectations challenged by direct experience. The piece frames such accounts as evidence that ordinary American hospitality is quietly reshaping perceptions among overseas visitors.

The article draws on a broader Fox News discussion, including a panel hosted by Gerry Baker, in which commentators debated the World Cup's effect on America's global image and "soft power." While Jason Riley voiced scepticism about football's long-term popularity in the US, other panellists, including Joseph Sternberg and Kim Strassel, pointed to positive interactions between international visitors and everyday American life as a counterweight to negative media narratives, though the piece stops short of citing statistics on visitor numbers or survey data to support its claims.