Prince William believes British football fans heading to North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be surprised by one thing more than anything else: the size of the stadiums. Speaking on the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, hosted by Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, the Prince of Wales said the scale of sports venues in the United States will likely be a major culture shock for many visitors from the UK. The episode was released on Friday, just hours before Travis Kelce is set to marry Taylor Swift in New York City, according to reports.
Prince William tells Travis Kelce what may surprise British fans at FIFA World Cup
The conversation turned to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. During the discussion, Travis Kelce asked Prince William what English fans might find most surprising when they travel across the Atlantic for the tournament. “Is it the light beer?” Kelce joked.
Prince William laughed and agreed that the beer would taste different, but said stadiums would likely leave the biggest impression.
“Yeah, the beer definitely is going to taste different,” William said. “You haven’t met your match till you’ve seen a lot of beer drinkers from the U.K.”
He then explained why he believes the venues themselves will stand out. “I think the scale of your stadiums, I think the size of them is really going to be quite a culture shock for a lot of fans,” William said.
“We really know our football, so to see stadiums that are bigger and kind of an amazing atmosphere that we can also emulate here, that’s quite a big deal.”
{{/usCountry}}“We really know our football, so to see stadiums that are bigger and kind of an amazing atmosphere that we can also emulate here, that’s quite a big deal.”
{{/usCountry}}Prince William serves as president of the English Football Association and has long been one of the most visible supporters of football in the UK.
Prince William, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce share a connection
The podcast appearance also arrived amid growing attention around Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s wedding. While discussing the couple earlier this year, Prince William was asked on Heart Radio whether he had received an invitation to the ceremony.
At the time, he responded with a smile and said, “No comment.” He then added, “I’m hoping, and I’m sure there might be an invitation around, but we’ll see.”
William already shares a history with Swift. In 2024, he attended her Eras Tour show in London with Prince George and Princess Charlotte and met the singer backstage.
Their connection goes back even further. In 2013, William joined Taylor Swift and Jon Bon Jovi on stage at a charity event at Kensington Palace, where the trio performed Bon Jovi’s hit song “Livin’ On A Prayer.”
The New Heights interview was first reported by The Independent and offered a rare mix of football, royal life and World Cup talk just before one of the year’s biggest celebrity weddings.