European supporters travel to the United States for the World Cup without the paid vacation time guaranteed under EU rules. The OECD’s 2025 tax‑wedge data show Belgium at 52.5% and Germany at 49.3%, compared with a 35.1% OECD average. Germany is raising its regular retirement age to 67 for those born in 1964 or later, and a commission is studying a funded element that could push retirement age toward 70. France has faced significant public protests over pension reforms, while Italy’s population is among the oldest in Europe. The United States faces Belgium in a match that will determine which country holds the highest labor tax burden. Earlier, Paraguay defeated Germany in the round of 32, ending the German team’s tournament run. The United States may advance further, reflecting its ability to sustain overtime work without the same pension pressures facing European teams. The tournament offers a short break from work, but the underlying demographic and fiscal challenges remain unresolved.