Soccer fans have a new decision to make with FIFA ahead of the World Cup. This time, we are reporting on tailgating regulations at World Cup venues in the United States, one of the three co-hosting countries for the world’s largest sporting event.
The sport’s global governing body has already come under fire for exorbitant ticket prices and soaring fares in host cities. They are also being asked to ask US President Donald Trump to ensure the safety of fans and keep US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents out of stadiums during the World Cup.
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Mexico and Canada are co-hosting the tournament, but the United States will host nearly two-thirds of the 16 host cities across North America, hosting 78 of the 104 games.
So what exactly is tailgating, and has FIFA really banned a beloved American tradition?
Here’s what we know about the tailgating row at the World Cup.
What is tailgating in the United States?
The term “distracted driving” is used to refer to the act of one vehicle driving too closely behind another vehicle, but it has a completely different meaning in American sports culture.
In the context of American sports, tailgating is a pregame social event where fans of a team park their cars outside the stadium hosting the game. Supporters gather around parked cars and socialize, drinking, eating and often cooking on the spot, soaking up the matchday atmosphere despite not being inside the venue.
It can often start several hours before the game starts inside the stadium. This culture is most common during National Football League (NFL) games and is especially popular among American football fans.
Across the pond in England, tailgating refers to illegally entering a stadium by following a ticket holder at the turnstiles. It is now a punishable crime.
Why are U.S. fans upset about the tailgating rule at the World Cup?
Soccer fans on social media went into an uproar earlier this week after US media reported that FIFA had banned tailgating before World Cup matches at major stadiums.
FIFA refuted these reports, published by CBS News, NBC Boston and WCVB Boston, issuing a statement on Wednesday saying there was “no formal policy restricting tailgating.”
However, FIFA said venue-specific restrictions may be imposed at certain venues based on local regulations and in conjunction with host city public safety authorities, and additional fan information for all 2026 World Cup matches will be communicated in advance of the tournament.
In an effort to introduce the concept of tailgating to soccer fans around the world, US-based supporters are taking to social media to explain how tailgating is closely tied to the matchday experience.
In some cities, such as Philadelphia, fans believe nothing can stop tailgating parties.
“FIFA doesn’t understand that they can’t physically stop Philadelphia players from tailgating,” one fan wrote in X.
Some quipped that tailgating is a quintessentially American experience that fans from all over the world visiting the United States would want to enjoy.
Fans have also posted photos and videos of international supporters enjoying the experience outside of U.S. stadiums during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Will reckless driving be banned at the World Cup?
There is no clear answer to this yet.
During the World Cup, FIFA will take over management of the stadium and work with the local organizing committee to carry out match-day security and logistics operations.
FIFA mandates that all stadiums used for major tournaments have two “secure perimeters”. The guidelines state that “the primary purpose of the outer perimeter is security” and that the inner perimeter will be used for final ticket checking and authentication.
The boundaries of each stadium’s “outer perimeter” vary depending on its location, parking spaces, and how people travel to the venue. This will ensure that “no unauthorized persons enter the perimeter of the stadium building.”
“Secondly, a safe distance can be created between the stadium building as a crowded space and potential threats or attacks,” the guidelines say.
As with previous Games, local organizers and authorities will decide whether activities such as tailgating will be allowed, and that decision may not be made public until much closer to the Games.
However, the Boston organizing committee clarified in a statement on its website that tailgating “is not permitted at these events.”
Which U.S. stadiums are hosting the World Cup and could be affected by tailgating regulations?
To limit ambush marketing by brands not associated with FIFA, the governing body changed the stadium names of all venues to match the host city.
The United States opens its World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium (renamed Los Angeles Stadium) in Inglewood, California.
MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will be renamed New York-New Jersey Stadium and will host the final game on July 19th.
Other World Cup stadiums in the United States are:
Boston (Gillette Stadium) Philadelphia (Lincoln Financial Field) Dallas (AT&T Stadium) Seattle (Lumen Field) New York/New Jersey (MetLife Stadium) Kansas City (Arrowhead Stadium) Miami (Hard Rock Stadium) Atlanta (Mercedes-Benz Stadium) Houston (NRG Stadium) San Francisco Bay Area (Levi’s Stadium)
