With fans from all over the world traveling to the United States for the 2026 World Cup, Europeans are getting their first taste of college football and American fandom.

Reigning world champions Argentina recently warmed up for their group stage games with a match against Iceland at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. The SEC school took full advantage of the opportunity, showing off its traditions, such as War Eagle VIII flying around the stadium pregame and “Swag Surfin” playing during halftime.

WHAT THE HELL WOW pic.twitter.com/qZPkW9zUCD

— Freddy (@FreddyLA7) June 10, 2026

Foreign fans in general were impressed by the stadium’s location, right on campus, its size (seating 88,043), and the pyrotechnics used throughout the game.

As Penn State boasts a similar setup, here are a few things about it that we think the European mind might find hard to comprehend.

Beaver Stadium’s Capacity

If overseas fans were impressed by the 88,000 at the Argentina match, imagine what they would think if they saw the 110,000-plus at a Penn State football game.

The Nittany Lions’ average attendance in 2025 was 108,379 fans per game, and that was during a season that ended with a 7-6 record.

Only one stadium in Europe comes close to that number. Barcelona’s Camp Nou Stadium, which is undergoing renovation, will seat 105,000 when it’s done. Even that, though, hasn’t fully opened and sees only 62,000–80,000 seats open for games.

There is nothing like over 100,000 people rooting for the same team in one place, and for now, that is almost exclusively limited to college football.

White Out Entrance

Color-based fan themes are unique to the United States for the most part in general. Attire at European soccer games is often plain, with fans wearing non-themed coats and base colors such as black.

The White Out is the most extreme example of fan themes in American sports and is perfectly represented by the Nittany Lions’ entrance onto the field.

POV: You’re in the student section for team entrance during the Penn State White Out! pic.twitter.com/eA5PQwdRre

— Beaver Stadium (@beaver_stadium) September 24, 2023

From the monochromatic sea of white, the “We Are” chants, the fireworks, the noise in general, and the alma mater, anyone who hasn’t been to a big-time college football game before would be overwhelmed by the White Out entrance.

Tailgating

There is nothing like a Penn State tailgate.

Europeans would have no idea what to do if they were woken up at 5 a.m. before a noon kickoff against Michigan to start drinking in a damp parking lot in 3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Most Europeans pregame soccer games at overcrowded pubs, singing silly chants, and paying $8 per pint. I would like to see them on the boat race lines or attempting a keg stand with “Free Bird” blaring on the speakers over the thousands of other families and friends doing similar things.

Don’t even get me started on the RV lots.