America's World Cup was a huge success — but don't expect 100,000 soccer fans watching games in Columbus any time soon.

Why it matters: The U.S. is already being floated as a host country again in 2038, but the World Cup demands massive stadiums.

• Columbus doesn't have one that fits the bill, and Ohio State still doesn't plan to change that.

What we're hearing: The university has no plans to undergo a renovation project that would widen the Ohio Stadium field to allow for a regulation soccer match, executive associate athletic director for internal operations Mike Penner tells Axios.

• "It would be a substantial project" that OSU hasn't "really had any conversations about," he says.

Flashback: Between 1999 and 2001, a nearly $200 million renovation of Ohio Stadium included lowering the field by 14 feet, removing the track and stadium dorms, and adding restrooms and concession stands.

• Crucially, it also added a lower ring of seating known as the AA Deck, some of the most expensive tickets in the building.
• Those new seats helped make it the country's third-largest stadium.

Yes, but: That deck made the field too narrow for a soccer match under FIFA regulations.

• Football fields are 53 1/3 yards wide.
• FIFA recommends 74 yards of width, plus space outside the lines.

The big picture: Soccer is buzzier than ever in America thanks to a World Cup that brought millions of eyeballs and tens of thousands of fans to cities like Atlanta, Kansas City and Philadelphia.

• Without a major, costly and unforeseen change, Columbus won't be in the mix for any such event in the future.

The bottom line: "Nothing is insurmountable," Penner says, noting that OSU would be happy to discuss possibilities with the city, the Crew and other potential stakeholders in a World Cup bid.

• But don't expect it.
• "Those AA seats are amazing seats for football games. We love that section. We love how the stadium is right now."

Major League Soccer teams hope to turn casual viewers into more than "every four years" fans.

Zoom in: The Crew's "Summer of Soccer" tour hosted over two dozen events around the region during games — most at neighborhood bars and restaurants as far as Delaware or Newark.

The intrigue: That marked a change from how the team approached the 2022 World Cup.

• "We really wanted to showcase the new stadium," senior director of events and grassroots marketing Molly Zaluski tells Axios.
• "This year, we were like, 'Let's go out and find new fans.'"

By the numbers: The team says 15,000 fans came to their watch parties, including 8,000 people who had never interacted with the Crew before, according to their data.

• Just 10% of watch party attendees have Crew season tickets.

To capitalize, the team wants to "strike while the iron is hot."

• A "fee-free weekend" ahead of matches Wednesday and Saturday is meant to draw potential new fans, as is the leaguewide "We'll take it from here" campaign.

The bottom line: Ultimately, Zaluski says it's not about selling tickets this summer — it's about turning World Cup 2026 fans into lifelong soccer fans.

The number of cyclosporiasis cases in Ohio has ballooned beyond 1,200 in about a month, including a few dozen in Franklin County, per an Ohio Department of Health dashboard.

Caveat: Actual case numbers are likely much higher because of delayed federal health tracking and limited testing. Michigan and Ohio are currently most affected.

Catch up quick: Federal health officials attribute the "explosive diarrhea" outbreak to contaminated shredded lettuce served at Taco Bell in five states, including Ohio.

• A Cleveland-area man has filed a lawsuit against one store.
• News reports linked the lettuce to supplier Taylor Farms. But the FDA now says a lettuce sample from Taylor Farms that was re-reviewed produced a false positive for cyclospora, NBC reports.

Threat level: Cyclosporiasis doesn't spread from person-to-person or "'run its course' the way a stomach bug typically does," HealthTrack chief medical officer Steven Goldberg tells Axios. Symptoms may improve and then return.

• "This is not a 'wait it out' illness."

If you suspect you have it, ask a health care provider to order a specific stool test to confirm, the Ohio Department of Health tells Axios. Routine tests don't include it.

• The illness is "highly treatable with antibiotics," but "delaying diagnosis and treatment could result in dehydration and related complications."

What's next: The department's dashboard is updated each Thursday afternoon.

Just how bad was all that wildfire smoke filling the skies over the weekend?

Stunning stat: The local air quality index shattered records Friday, with some sensors reading in the 500s — the highest levels recorded since the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission started tracking in 1999.

Flashback: The previous record was 208 in 1999, WCMH-TV reports.

Go deeper: Summer is smoke season now

👋 Alissa here. Our international restaurant tour takes us to Turkey with the best dish I've tried so far this year.

Dining the news: Columbus has no shortage of Turkish coffee, but the "kitchen" part of Tulip Cafe's tagline sets it apart.

• Its owners got their start selling baked goods at farmer's markets and expanded their space near Bethel Road last year. All food is made from scratch.

What I ate: Manti, a thin, delicate dumpling filled with ground beef ($16).

• The signature dish is topped with the rich flavors of tangy, garlicky yogurt and buttery red pepper sauce.
• Honestly, I'm still thinking about it.

I also tried a Turkish bagel ($5), or "simit," a sweet, fluffy bread ring coated in sesame seeds that tastes a bit like a bagel-and-pretzel combo.

• I used it to soak up sauce — not sure if that's customary, but it was great.

The vibe: The expansion is adorable, with tulip decor (Turkey's national flower) and a pink theme that matched my intricate iced latte glass.

What's next: I didn't have room for dessert, but I'll be back for baklava and Dubai chocolate.

📍 Stop by: 9am-7:30pm Tuesday-Sunday. 2926 Hayden Run Plaza.

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