I am a sports fan, take me to the soccer
I walked into Seattle Stadium (which locals usually know as “Lumen Field”) as a neutral party, on a sunny Seattle day in June, when the world had tuned in to watch. I was hoping for a good game between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar in the opening round of the 2026 World Cup, and to bear witness to the biggest sports event in the world showing up in my city.
A majority in the stands were BiH fans (the “i” being the “and” abbreviation in Bosnian, I later looked up). They didn’t have a “Viking Row” like Norway’s fans shouted to inspire the tournament, but these folks did turn out in full force, waving flags and wearing shirts with a song slogan that reminded me we have it pretty good: “I am from Bosnia, Take Me to America.”
I wanted to be there that day to see what the buzz was about, but these people wanted far more.
The five-year-old in the stands behind me knew every player, and cheered loudly for “Bosno Bosno.” Soon all of the fans of the Golden Lillies around me were energetically singing and jumping around singing, “Ko ne skače mrzi Bosnu hej hej hej!” A nearby fan explained the meaning to me as I stood still: “Whoever doesn’t jump hates Bosnia.”
I was neutral no longer, which judging from the interest across the country maybe described some of you through June and July as well. Bosnia and Herzegovina was my bandwagon for the day, and I still had time to shift back into supporting the United States men for another few games before the dream died in the knockout round, also in Seattle Stadium, against Belgium. (Though ticket prices for the popular Yanks meant I watched that one from the couch rather than the bleachers.)
It didn’t hurt that Bosnian fans brought the world’s largest coffee pot, known as a džezva, to match destinations during the World Cup. Enthusiastic soccer fans who enjoy a good cup of coffee? Here in Seattle? As I start scouting for the 2030 Cup, which will be in Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, this may be the kind of team I can get behind!