Description
This issue of JRNY America follows the world’s biggest football tournament across the United States and far beyond the stadium gates.
From the 2026 football World Cup and the 11 American host cities preparing to welcome the world, to basketball dynasties, roller derby revivals, car culture, pierogi traditions, coastal cities, wild mountains and the complicated histories that sit beneath America’s sporting identity, this issue explores the USA as both global stage and deeply layered travel destination.
Across Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, this issue blends practical city guides with cultural context, sporting heritage, neighbourhood stories and the food, music, museums and local rituals that make each destination worth exploring long after the final whistle.
Cover Feature: The Total Guide to the World Cup 2026 Host Cities
Our definitive guide to every US host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From the walkable stadium energy of Seattle and the waterfront fan festivals of Miami and New York/New Jersey to the barbecue trails of Kansas City, the revolutionary history of Boston and Philadelphia, the cinematic scale of Los Angeles and the Texan swagger of Dallas and Houston, this feature gives travelling fans everything they need to know. Expect stadium guides, transport tips, where to stay, what to see, where to eat and where to watch.
What’s in this issue:
A year of sport in the States – While football dominates the summer, 2026 is packed with major American sporting moments, from the Super Bowl and Daytona 500 to the Boston Marathon, Kentucky Derby, Indy 500, US Open golf, MLB All-Star Game and US Open tennis. A guide to the traditions, rivalries and great sporting rituals that keep America moving all year.
Green and Black: Boston’s complicated sporting legacy – As Boston prepares to welcome the World Cup, we explore the story of the Celtics, Bill Russell and the city’s uneasy relationship with race, progress and sporting greatness. A powerful look at how one of America’s most successful franchises helped challenge who belonged in professional sport.
New York State of Mind: the Catskills beyond the city – Just two hours north of Manhattan, the Catskill Mountains offer a slower, wilder counterpoint to New York City. From Woodstock and Kaaterskill Falls to guided hikes, forested ridges and quiet lakes, this feature finds fresh air, perspective and mountain drama beyond the skyline.
Blue crabs, bubble letters and Babe: Baltimore – A journey through Baltimore’s maritime history, street art, seafood culture and sporting soul. From Maryland blue crabs and Graffiti Alley to the Inner Harbour, Fort McHenry, Camden Yards and the birthplace of Babe Ruth, this is Charm City in all its creative, contradictory glory.
The skates are high: Austin roller derby – Inside the noisy, theatrical, full-contact world of Austin’s roller derby revival. At the TXRD Thunderdome, fishnets, foam ear protectors, bruising athleticism and glorious weirdness collide in a story about sport, community, queer-friendly culture and why Austin still does things its own way.
A City of Cars: Los Angeles – From the Petersen Automotive Museum and Hollywood’s great car scenes to the Gumball 3000 Rally and LA’s endless traffic mythology, this feature explores why Los Angeles remains inseparable from the automobile. Film, gaming, celebrity, road culture and real streets merge in a city that always feels half familiar before you arrive.
The pierogi continuum: Pittsburgh – A delicious journey through Pittsburgh’s Polish heritage, from Polish Hill and traditional delis to pierogi festivals, parish halls and baseball-game mascots. More than a dumpling, the pierogi becomes a story of migration, memory, neighbourhood identity and the comforting power of food.
Plus much more in this World Cup special issue of JRNY America.
