World Cup 2026

Houston, June 14, Matchday

A woman walking around the breakfast room of my hotel, distributing color sets to add a flag to your skin. „There is nothing gonna go on MY face. This is an American face“, claims a guy next to me, bold, short sleeved shirt, corn fed.

The biggest show on earth has arrived in the US and no one has noticed. Houston carries no flags, no deco, no fan fest. The Uber driver didn’t know the World Cup was here, „ I am Cuban, I love MMA..“..The receptionist of my hotel didn’t know who played.

Dozens of German shirts at breakfast, no response when I wished well. No one spoke German. Surprise. Obviously lots of Americans are discovering their German roots these dates, very welcome!
Tino still isn’t here, he had a nightmare behind him. Arriving at Washington and being forced to immigrate there, ahead of his connecting flight to Houston, it turned out that exactly one out of 48 (!) immigration counters was occupied, it took him 2 hours to pass and, of course, he missed his flight, which was the last of the day. With local kick off at noon next day there was only one option: move from Washington Dulles to Ronald Reagan airport at night, have 3 hours sleep in an airport hotel, fly at 6 local to Houston, where he is supposed to arrive in 30 min. Speak of a flying start….

Matchday. Magic. Bring them on….