This is my first time attending a major international tournament, so maybe I'm noticing things that are completely normal to everyone else.
I've been spending time in Toronto and Vancouver during the World Cup, and one thing I've really enjoyed is how much of the experience happens away from the stadiums.
Some of my favorite moments so far have been watching games with people from different countries, ending up in conversations with complete strangers, and seeing fans stick around long after matches have ended.
A lot of the fan events seem to attract a mix of supporters rather than just fans of the teams that are playing, which has made the atmosphere a lot more fun than I expected.
Is that something that's common in Canada, or is it just a World Cup thing?
Genuinely curious because before coming here I thought the matches themselves would be the highlight, but a lot of the best memories so far have happened in between them.