Following the World Cup across North America

The FIFA World Cup turned this summer into a continent-spanning pilgrimage for football fans, as the expanded 48-team tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, drew supporters from around the globe on a sprawling journey across North America.

With matches spread across host cities from coast to coast and across three countries, the tournament posed a logistical adventure for travelling fans, who crisscrossed the continent to follow their teams. The vast distances made planning essential, but also offered a rare chance to experience the enormous diversity of North America in a single trip.

Host cities embraced the influx, with fan festivals, public viewing areas and celebrations transforming downtowns into seas of colour and noise. The tournament brought together an extraordinary mix of cultures and languages, as supporters of dozens of nations mingled in stadiums, bars and squares.

For many visitors, the World Cup was a reason to explore cities and regions they might otherwise never have considered, from the great metropolises to smaller host cities eager to show themselves off. It offered a chance to pair the drama of the world's most popular sport with the discovery of new places.

Beyond the football, the tournament was a showcase for its host nations and a celebration of the game's power to draw people together across borders. For the travelling fan, it was a once-in-a-lifetime journey, stitching together a summer of matches, cities and memories across a continent.