World Cup 2026 Turns TikTok Into a Frenzy, With Neymar and Underdog Teams Driving Searches

Less than a week after the start of the 2026 World Cup, TikTok says interest in the tournament has surged sharply. Searches for “World Cup” rose 588% over the past month, from mid-May to mid-June 2026, while searches for “World Cup 2026” climbed 602%. The biggest single spike was for Neymar, whose “Neymar World Cup 2026” search jumped more than 18,000%. The 34-year-old Brazilian star and his wife announced yesterday that they are expecting another daughter, and the report says this could be his last World Cup.

The article says the conversation on TikTok goes well beyond football. Users are reacting to national-team kits, creating outfit combinations, makeup looks and nail designs inspired by the tournament, and analyzing symbols, cultural details and historical references in shirt designs. The expansion to 48 teams has also drawn attention, especially around smaller nations and first-time qualifiers such as Curaçao, Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan, which are being framed as the competition’s Cinderella stories.

There is also strong nostalgia for earlier World Cups. Fans are searching for iconic moments, historic goals and dramatic matches, while discussion of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar centers on whether this will be their final tournament. Tribute videos, career summaries and nostalgic clips featuring the three stars are each drawing millions of views.

Music, sticker collecting and travel are also part of the trend. TikTok users are looking for the official song, “Dai Dai” by Shakira, and for artists tied to FIFA’s music project, including Shakira, Lisa, Burna Boy and Tyla. Panini sticker albums are back in heavy circulation, and the platform is seeing more posts about travel planning, hotels and host cities, especially Los Angeles, New York, Kansas City and the San Francisco Bay Area. Videos featuring visits to Walmart, Waffle House and Taco Bell are drawing millions of views, alongside content about host communities and special World Cup products from Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Lay’s and Lego.