Getting into the World Cup spirit: What Israelis are searching online ahead of the tournament
With the opening whistle of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico just around the corner, search data published today, Wednesday, by Google shows a surge of thousands of percent in World Cup-related searches.
The data indicates that Israelis are not content merely to watch the tournament, they are also taking up related hobbies, looking for collectible items and dressing in the World Cup spirit.
From collectible mania to fantasy, Israelis are building and predicting their World Cup
Searches for "Lego World Cup" and "Lego World Cup trophy" have posted a meteoric increase of more than 5,000% this year, as fans of all ages try to build the coveted trophy in their living rooms.
At the same time, the tournament's central obsession has returned in a big way, searches for "World Cup cards" have jumped 5,000% this year. Those who are not satisfied with physical cards are moving online, as searches for "World Cup fantasy" games have also risen by 5,000%.
The trendiest shirts: Brazil and Argentina go head to head
The uniforms of the various national teams are an inseparable part of the World Cup celebration, and Israelis are already updating their wardrobes. Google searches around "World Cup shirts" rose 1,400% this year, and the data show that the trendiest and most sought-after shirts among fans in Israel this year are those of Brazil and Argentina.
Vintage and retro shirts, including shirts of leading national teams and shirts from collections of previous tournaments, are also making an interesting comeback, with searches around them up 5,000% in the past month, alongside another interesting consumer trend, "mystery box football shirts", a surprise box containing shirts according to fans' sizes and preferences.
Learning history: Israelis are diving into nostalgia
Alongside preparations for the current tournament, it appears that Israelis are also using the time to catch up and learn the history of the World Cup. Google is identifying a significant surge in nostalgic searches for recent tournaments, led by "World Cup 2014", "World Cup 2010" and, of course, "World Cup final 2022", Messi's last and unforgettable final in Qatar.
Alongside them, the 1970 World Cup, the only one in which Israel participated, has jumped by thousands of percent in searches in recent weeks.
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