Tony and Luke Santolin at the Australia v USA match in Seattle. Photo: Supplied.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America has produced so many unforgettable moments – from Lionel Messi’s goal brace to eye-watering food prices, controversial refereeing decisions, Donald Trump’s intervention to overturn a player suspension and the genuine prospect (or dread) of England finally bringing it home.
Griffith father-and-son real estate agents Tony and Luke Santolin spent two weeks soaking it all in, cheering on the Socceroos among more than 60,000 American fans in Seattle, riding in driverless cars and sharing beers with football supporters from every corner of the globe.
Tony sat down with Region to reflect on the trip of a lifetime.
What made you decide to go to the World Cup?
It was a bucket-list trip to celebrate Luke’s 40th birthday.
Our family has always loved football. My father, Noe, even got a satellite dish from Hay so we could watch the 1982 World Cup, which was won by his home country, Italy. Back then you couldn’t watch the World Cup on television in Griffith.
Which matches did you attend?
We saw Australia play the USA at Seattle Stadium. We didn’t play our best and lost 2-0, but the atmosphere was incredible.
Seattle has one of the loudest stadiums in America. It was designed that way and you could really tell. I can still hear the crowd chanting “USA, USA”.
We also watched Portugal play Uzbekistan in Houston. Luke is a huge Cristiano Ronaldo fan, so seeing him score twice was something special. About 95 per cent of the Portuguese supporters had Ronaldo’s name on the back of their jerseys.
We also watched other matches in bars and pubs, that was even better. Watching and chatting with fans from all over the world made you feel like you were part of something much bigger.
We would’ve loved to watch Italy play as well, but unfortunately they didn’t qualify.
Luke watches a game at a bar at Hermosa Beach. Photo: Supplied.
The Socceroos copped some rough calls against the USA. Were they robbed?
Everyone has an opinion in sport and people are always looking for someone to blame.
As Roy Keane said recently, though, you still have to be good enough to win even if a few decisions go against you. We weren’t.
There was a lot of talk about the cost of attending the World Cup. Was it as expensive as people say?
It definitely wasn’t cheap.
Our match tickets were about $1000 each and flights and accommodation were expensive as well.
But it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We all spend money on things we probably don’t need, but this was worth every cent.
The United States is often in the news because of shootings, political division and immigration raids. Was that what you experienced?
No, not at all.
What we saw over two weeks was completely different to what you often see on television.
There wasn’t any fear or tension. Everywhere we went people were friendly, relaxed and just getting on with their lives.
Everyone wanted to ask us about Australia, especially the kangaroos.
My business partner Brian lent me a Brazilian jacket and whenever I wore it people would come up and start talking to me. Everyone loves Brazil, so it became a great conversation starter.
Did people talk much about Donald Trump?
I asked a few people about Trump, including taxi drivers, but nobody brought him up on their own.
Americans aren’t traditionally known for loving soccer. Did they embrace the World Cup?
Americans love sport, but I wouldn’t say they’re football fanatics.
To be honest, I probably knew more about their national team than many of the fans did.
But once their team was playing they were incredibly patriotic and got right behind them.
The pre-game entertainment at USA v Australia. Photo: Supplied.
Outside the football, what was the most memorable experience?
Riding in a driverless car in Los Angeles.
It actually cost less than an Uber and some rides are even free because the companies are promoting the technology.
It was an amazing experience. I felt completely safe, it was spotless inside and it honestly felt like the future has already arrived.
Who do you think will win the World Cup?
I tipped Brazil before the tournament and thought they were a bit unlucky against Norway.
At the moment, though, I think France has the strongest team.
The next World Cup will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco in 2030. Will you be there?
Absolutely.
From now on, I want to go to every World Cup. It’s an experience I’ll never forget.
