Demographics that set the rules of the game
Miami-Dade County is home to three million residents, more than 70% of whom are Hispanic or Latino. In the local neighbourhoods, you’ll meet nearly a million Cubans, over half a million Colombians and Venezuelans, and large communities from Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, Mexico, Argentina, and Peru.
It’s no wonder you don’t need English to get by during matches here. Besides the omnipresent Spanish, there’s a language everyone understands: futbol! While elsewhere in the USA, football is still more of a growing weekend hobby, in Miami it’s a massive economic engine - local businesses report an incredible 400% increase in revenue during World Cup matches.
Meeting David Beckham
The football mania has led to some funny moments. Our crew visited the favourite spot of David Beckham. The owner, Giancarlo, shared a funny story in the episode. When he first met Beckham at the restaurant, he happened to be wearing a full purple outfit of rival team Orlando City, who were at that point the only team in Florida.
"You can take a photo with me, but first you have to take that stuff off," Beckham joked. The next day, Giancarlo received an official Inter Miami jersey from him. According to Giancarlo, the entire Beckham family is amazing, and Beckham himself stops by several times a week for the famous Cuban sandwiches.
Invasion of yellow jerseys
The contrasts outside the stadiums and fan zones are breathtaking. Scottish fans in traditional kilts and with traffic cones on their heads may struggle with the Florida heat, but they praise the kilts for their "great ventilation."
On the other side, there’s a Brazilian wave that completely took over the area around the local Walmart. The real madness begins before the Colombian match. Lines outside the fan zone stretch for two kilometres, and people wait up to five hours before the game just to get inside.
Locals living near the stadium didn’t hesitate to take advantage of the influx of fans, renting out their yards for parking at $100, $150, or even $200. For older generations of Colombians who left their homeland many years ago, the chance to see their national team in Miami is a lifelong dream come true and a huge family reunion.
Miami isn’t just hosting an ordinary tournament - it’s experiencing a carnival in the beating football heart of America.
What does it mean for older generations of immigrants to see their national team for the first time in their lives? And how do Colombians celebrate success? Watch the full fifth episode of World Cup Questions in the recording above and soak up the atmosphere of true football in Miami!
FIFA World Cup 2026
The 2026 World Cup is taking place from June 11th to July 19th in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament features 48 national teams and is played at 16 modern stadiums.
Match schedule and times | Group standings and knockout bracket | How to watch the World Cup | World Cup Format | Past winners of the tournament