"Air conditioning was the best experience of my life": European fans who came to the U.S. to watch the World Cup are moved by the air conditioning

*This content was translated by AI.

"It was the greatest invention of my life."

Jonno Yates (39), a famous British food YouTuber who visited the U.S. to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said that after returning home, the thing he thought of most was not barbecue, bagels, or cheese steaks. What dominated his mind after touring Dallas, New York, and Philadelphia to enjoy food tours was nothing other than the air conditioning in hotel rooms. "It was absolute happiness. I now know what the best thing in the world is."

This summer, as Europe has been hit by severe heatwaves, air conditioning has become a hot topic among European soccer fans visiting the U.S. The Washington Post reported that hundreds of thousands of European tourists, taking the World Cup as an opportunity, have experienced "the country with the best air conditioning in the world." European fans who enjoyed cold air in bars, restaurants, shuttle buses, and stadiums everywhere could not hide their surprise, saying, "It gave me goosebumps."

Victor Bashong (35), a French comedian, wrote on Instagram: "One thing the World Cup taught me — there's something special about American air conditioning." Uni Hoppe (37), a German pastor who watched the Germany vs. Ecuador match in Washington, D.C., admitted, "I still don't like that 'humming' sound," but also said, "Honestly, it's good that sweat doesn't soak into my jeans."

The background of this emotional response lies in Europe's harsh reality. Currently, Europe is suffering from the worst heatwave in history. Schools have closed, railways have warped, and dozens have lost their lives to heatstroke and drowning. However, the air conditioning penetration rate is only about 4% in British households and about 20% across the entire European continent, a figure incomparable to the 90th% in the U.S. After returning home, Yates revealed that he is enduring the heat by wearing the shortest shorts and throwing ice cubes at his dog.

The article received 365 comments from American readers, sparking a strong reaction. Responses ranged from "In places like Texas and Phoenix, people cannot live without air conditioning" and "My air conditioning will never be taken away until my cold fingers warm up," to eyewitness accounts such as "I saw a video of people fighting over air conditioners at a French supermarket; it looked like Black Friday." There were also criticisms pointing out, "It's a double standard to say air conditioning accelerates global warming while using heating freely in winter."

Europe's reluctance to use air conditioning is due not only to environmental awareness but also to electricity costs. One German reader sharply noted, "Electricity bills in Germany are twice as high as in the U.S.; the real reason for low air conditioning penetration is not the environment but money." In fact, air conditioning has also emerged as a political issue in Europe, with the leadership of France's far-right party, National Rally, recently declaring support for a large-scale air conditioning rollout plan.

Even after returning home, Yates cannot forget Starbucks in Los Angeles. "It was just right and so beautiful." It remains uncertain whether he will actually install air conditioning, as running air conditioning in the UK is still considered "un-British."

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*This content was translated by AI.