The internet has spent years telling us that the world is more divided than ever. But a German man who recently got hooked on a Freestyle soda machine while eating Waffle House at 1 a.m. made a convincing case otherwise.
The 2026 World Cup is doing what the platform has been trying to produce for years. It creates genuine cross-cultural connections in real time. And the tech industry can’t let that moment pass without building something on top of it.
Meanwhile, back in real estate, Google is making what could be the most significant change in listing visibility in years. There is no doubt that it will have some impact on your SEO practices. And Instagram has finally brought an update that many have been asking for for what feels like forever. It’s the ability to sort the profile grid.
World Cup fans are crazy about America and it’s all the rage
The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought fans from around the world to North America this summer, but for many, the tournament is a secondary story. The real story is culture shock.
German soccer fan Freddie became a social media sensation after documenting his road trip through the southern United States on his way to Houston. Waffle House and Taco Bell at 1 a.m. are described as “sacred places.” We stopped at Wendy’s, where we encountered the Freestyle Soda Machine for the first time. Our Bavarian-themed visit to Helen, Georgia was more interesting than anyone expected. He watched Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Chili’s in Chattanooga. Fellow German influencer Fiago did the same in Chicago, eating at Portillo’s three times, visiting The Bean, and posting, “They’re doing everything here,” along with a photo of a giant American flag at Macy’s.
It’s a really heartwarming story that touches my heart. These are not fish-out-of-water jokes at America’s expense. Freddy and Feargo are overjoyed, and the audience can feel it.
What this means for real estate professionals: The World Cup exposes American cities and regions to a global audience never seen before. If you work in a game-hosted market or along the fan travel route, this is your chance to rely on local pride content. What makes your market worth visiting and living in is exactly what these fans are already talking about.
Meta and TikTok are committed to the World Cup
The platform foresaw the coming of the World Cup and was built for it. Meta rolled out a series of features this week across Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Messenger, and WhatsApp, while TikTok launched an entirely separate app.
On Instagram, a dedicated search hub displays curated tournament content, including Reels, Stories, and posts from official broadcasters and national teams. Threads delivers live score alerts, real-time match chat, commentary from soccer legends, and custom stickers. Facebook has added a football mode. Double-tap the logo at the top of your feed to enable it. We also added AI-generated jersey photos and tournament themes. Messenger pushes live match updates directly to your group chat when a goal or key moment occurs. WhatsApp has added soccer-themed call effects, a custom channel directory for World Cup content, and Meta AI integration for real-time standings and player updates.
Instagram also expanded AI voice effects for DMs from eight to 15 and added a World Cup-specific “Goal!” Add effects that trigger animations on send and options such as Pirate, Grandma, and Autotune.
TikTok went in a completely different direction and launched TikTok Pro Events, a standalone app dedicated to cultural moments starting with the World Cup. Users 18 and older can earn stars by completing fan activities such as searching for trending hashtags, visiting FIFA hubs, and sharing content, and can redeem stars for merchandise, TikTok Shop coupons, or charitable donations through Feeding America. The main TikTok app also has a FIFA World Cup hub, powered by TikTok GamePlan, a suite of tools for sports leagues and broadcasters.
What this means for real estate professionals: Key cultural moments drive engagement on the platform in a way that improves all content, not just sports posts. If you’ve been holding off on experimenting with Threads, you might want to try Live Events, which has dedicated detection capabilities. And if your market is hosting a match or has high fan traffic, World Cup content is a legitimate entry point for increasing local visibility at this time.
Google’s residential listing ads will be rolled out nationwide
This summer, Google will bring the HouseCanary-powered listings ad format to all 50 states, expanding on a pilot that began in eight markets last year. This format displays property details within mobile search results and allows buyers to call, message, or schedule a tour with a local agent directly from the ad using listing data from participating MLSs.
So far, only three MLSs are participating: CRMLS, San Diego MLS, and My State MLS. EXp Realty has chosen to go public, and we expect more markets to come online over the summer. Because lead routing is split between the listing agent and the Local Services Ads advertiser, not all clicks on a listing will necessarily return to you.
Analyst Mike Delpreto told Inman that the expansion is significant even if it doesn’t replace Zillow or other portals. Google’s early entry into the buyer search process has a unique impact. WAV Group’s Victor Lund wants to see actual lead data before calling this disruptive.
What this means for real estate professionals: Find out if your MLS is participating and whether the feed is opt-in or opt-out. It’s worth understanding lead and routing splits before your listings appear there.
You can now rearrange your profile grid on Instagram
Instagram has released a long-requested feature: the ability to sort posts on your profile grid. Users can now tap and hold on any post, select “Reorder Grid” from the pop-up menu, and drag content to arrange it in the best order. Changes are saved immediately and visible to all profile visitors.
The feature has been in the works since at least 2022, and Instagram first tested restructuring the grid with larger vertical thumbnails before shelving the concept. This update was released in January 2025. Both changes are currently being rolled out at the same time.
What this means for real estate professionals: Your profile grid is often the first thing people see when they land on your page, and now you’ll be in control of your leads. Pin your best listing video to the top corner, lead with your most powerful market updates, and build visual flows that tell your brand story at a glance. It takes about 30 seconds to run, but it’s worth revisiting whenever your content changes focus.
TL;DR (too long to read)
World Cup fans are obsessed with America, and the content is delighting viewers. This week, Meta rolled out World Cup functionality to Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Messenger, and WhatsApp. TikTok has launched a standalone World Cup app where fans can earn rewards for participating in tournament content. Google’s home listing ads will roll out nationally this summer, but lead routing is segmented so you need to know where your clicks are going. You can now sort your profile grid on Instagram. Tap, hold, and drag.
The World Cup only happens once every four years, but this time it’s in our backyard. International fans are already here to discover Waffle House and Portillo’s and fall in love with the Freestyle Soda Machine, and the platform is being built in real time to capture it all. Such organic, globally visible cultural moments are rare, and they are happening right now in the markets where many of you work.
The agents coming with something to show for this summer will be the ones showing up on local streets, feeds, and platforms where conversations are already happening.
Every week on Trending, Inman’s Jessi Healey digs into what’s trending on social media and why it matters to real estate professionals. From viral trends to platform shifts, she analyzes everything to help you understand what’s worth your time and what’s not.
Email Jesse Healy
