July 23, 2026
The World Cup outshone America's own 250th birthday, with one telling exception.
- The World Cup won America's summer. Half of Americans (49%) said the 2026 World Cup felt more noticeable this summer; just 19% said the same of the America250 semiquincentennial — a 2.5-to-1 gap.
- The 250th still owns patriotism. Americans say America250 did more than the World Cup to increase patriotism, by a net 13 points.
- When the world is watching, the World Cup dominates. It out-scored America250 on drawing global attention (net +35) and improving international perceptions of the U.S. (net +26).
- National unity was a near-tie — a 2-point edge to the World Cup — the one measure neither event clearly claimed. Subscribe today to stay ahead of the curve.
