From Where I Sit: It’s Only Just Beginning
"It's called soccer!"
The chant echoes from the upper deck of America First Field. In the section normally reserved for fans of the visiting club, hundreds of shirtless young men wave their shirts like rally flags while chanting together like a well-rehearsed student section at a college bowl game. But these boys are gathered for a much different kind of football. In the spirit of good-natured banter, these hyped-up fans take a jab at the visiting British club over the debated name of the sport we're all here to celebrate. After the last round of "it's called soccer!" echoes through the stadium, there is a moment shared by all in attendance, an appreciation by the rest of the fans for what these young men have just shown is possible in Sandy. They were just getting started. More boys rush to the upper deck to join the group. From the view in the lower sections, the throng of young men grows each second. Expanding and enveloping the sections nearby. Then a sound like the drums of a mighty army. Thump. Thump. "Ro!" The young men row together in a unified sea of pure fandom. Thump. Thump. "Ro!" Again and again, as the pace increases. Coming from the World Cup sensation, Norway, the Viking Row has just arrived in Utah. And it is magnificent.
Soccer fans all love the World Cup. It truly is the greatest competition in sports. The 2026 installment has been packed with everything soccer fans go crazy for: incredible storylines, controversy, and great soccer. MLS fans will likely agree that the only drawback of the World Cup is that, with the current MLS schedule, there's a midseason break that seems to go on for eternity. RSL fans were chomping at the bit after 60 very long days without a home match. Enter Championship League side, Burnley FC.
With the English leagues starting up soon, Burnley needed preseason matches to get their players into shape after the season break. MLS clubs, though midseason, have gone just as many days without a match as their English counterparts and needed the outings to "knock the rust off" heading into the back nine of their season. With Burnley's connections to Utah through owners Kealia and JJ Watt and Dave Checketts, the man responsible for the creation of RSL in the first place, a friendly between the clubs was a perfect solution.
Eager RSL fans flooded into America First Field to watch their beloved club take on the visitors from across the pond. Flags waving, horns sounding, and drums beating, the heralds of matchday came with an exuberance only soccer-starved megafans can muster. While speaking with the media, Dave Checketts had to yell to be heard over the fans of the club he founded 21 years ago.
The match kicked off with RSL taking an immediate chokehold on possession. RSL fans, happy to be back in their beloved stadium, waited eagerly for the goal that would open the night. Sergi Solans challenged time and time again, but the keeper kept proving up to the task. Finally, in the stoppage time of the first half, Solans hit one past the keeper, giving RSL the lead going into the half. Solans celebrated with a gesture of cleansing himself of the bad luck that had been plaguing him, which proved to be prophetic.
In the second half, Burnley midfielder Florentino equalized for Burnley, but it proved to be a short-lived bout of hope. Sergi Solans assisted Gozo and scored another goal for himself to bring his goal contributions for the night to three. In the 82nd minute, RSL was given a penalty kick taken by Diego Luna. The young star placed his kick perfectly, giving RSL a 4-1 lead, effectively sealing the victory for RSL.
The energy in the stadium was incredible. This match felt special. Not just a friendly, RSL was showing that they can hold their own with EFL competition. Fans in the south end were singing and chanting. Fans in the north end were cheering and waving scarves. And the "tarps off boys", as the internet has started to call them, began to gather in the east.
Fans around the country have been wondering what effect the World Cup would have on American soccer. Did the World Cup actually create new fans? Will soccer culture and fandom in the US change at all? Do the young people of the country care about local soccer?
For everyone sitting in that stadium that night, we have an answer. Yes. Yes on all counts. We saw young people, many at their first match, elevate the game. These new fans are only the beginning. They brought in elements from the World Cup, like the Viking Row, while mixing them with college football, like levels of enthusiasm. These young people are proving that the US has been changed by the World Cup. The experiment is paying off. We can mix soccer culture and American sports culture. It works and works well. America is ready. Utah is ready. RSL Nation reinforcements have arrived. Let us welcome them with open arms and "Ro" together. So don your Viking helmets, wave your scarves or shirts like a mad person, and embrace the next phase of soccer in America.
From where I sit, it's only just beginning.
