Sofía Vergara is not merely watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup; she is hosting it from her living room. The 53-year-old Modern Family actress has been organizing viewing parties featuring food, music, and the chaotic family energy that, in her view, makes soccer in Latin culture exceptional. Empanadas are already on the menu.
What Are Sofía Vergara's World Cup Plans for 2026?
Vergara will attend some matches in person this summer, but work commitments prevent her from catching every game live. This is where her home viewing parties come into play. She is not leaving the experience to chance.
“It's food. It's drinking a little bit, and dancing. That's a World Cup,” said the actress, who will cheer for her native Colombia. “And the energy of the game, of the people — it's going to be such an amazing month, I think, for everyone.” She added, “I think if you have bad food, you'll ruin it for me. And I think also if you have bad lighting; if you're in a really bright place that is not cozy, people never get into the mood.”
For her, atmosphere matters as much as the scoreline. She co-owns a Latin empanada brand called TOMA with her son, and naturally, those will be featured. “My son and I, we have a very gourmet Latin empanada company, called TOMA, which is so easy,” she explained. “That's like the perfect party food, because you just have to warm it up and get them ready. And it's very exciting because everybody loves them. I always run out, actually.”
Beyond snacks, Vergara notes that big family gatherings during the World Cup offer a rare opportunity for honest health conversations. Through her partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim's Detect the SOS campaign—which promotes a uACR test for early detection of complications tied to diabetes and high blood pressure—she sees tournament time as an opening. “It's hard to talk about health with your family and your loved ones, because nobody wants to hear it,” she said. “I think it's the best opportunity to do things like that.”
Why Is the 2026 World Cup So Personal for Sofía Vergara?
Vergara grew up in Colombia, where soccer is not just entertainment; it is a pause button for the entire country. “The whole country gets paralyzed when there's a good soccer game,” she recalled. Having been based in the United States for years, the tournament has taken on a different meaning. “But now that I'm away, the World Cup is when it happens now because the important thing is that we get together, or I go to Miami or they come here,” she told The Sporting News.
The 1994 World Cup, held in the United States, left a permanent mark on her. She still speaks about players like Carlos Valderrama, René Higuita, and Faustino Asprilla with visible reverence. “For us, they were like gods, and every match, every emotion from that World Cup was incredible,” she said.
Colombia's 2026 squad carries the same weight. James Rodríguez, in what could be his final World Cup appearance, connects generations. “It seems like this could be his last World Cup, and that's going to be very emotional for Colombians,” Vergara said.
Does Sofía Vergara Watch Soccer in English or Spanish?
There is no debate. “It's not the same in English,” she said plainly. For Vergara, the language of the broadcast shapes the emotional experience. “Hearing the goal call from the people we know, in our language, with our roots -- everything belongs to us. For me, the emotion of soccer as a Latino has to be in Spanish, without a doubt.”
That sense of cultural ownership runs through everything she described—the food, family arguments, noise, and lighting. “Because when you're together, that's when you really get to enjoy each other and eat, and fight, and complain and it's fun,” she said.
The World Cup, for Vergara, is not just a tournament; it is the occasion that pulls Colombians back to each other, wherever they are in the world.
