Two days before the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, Donald Trump hosted a cocktail reception at the Manhattan skyscraper that bears his name, in the heart of New York City. There, alongside his friend Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA, he celebrated the organizational success of the biggest football tournament in history, featuring 48 national teams that played a total of 104 matches, more than ever before. Half-joking, half-serious, Trump told Infantino that the United States should host another World Cup. “Based on the numbers we will be requesting it again immediately,” he said.
The figures have been spectacular, but they also help explain soccer’s importance in the United States. The final that crowned Spain as world champion drew an audience of 61.5 million viewers on Telemundo and Peacock, the broadcasters that aired the match. It was the most-watched soccer match in U.S. television history. Even so, that number pales in comparison with the Super Bowl. The NFL championship game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots, held this past February, attracted 125.6 million viewers — about double the Spain-Argentina audience.
Soccer still has a long way to go in a country where, although it is no longer a niche sport, it is not among Americans’ top priorities. A YouGov poll, published the day before the World Cup final, found that soccer is Americans’ third-favorite sport behind the NFL and basketball (NBA). Baseball (MLB) and ice hockey (NHL) also generate strong interest. The survey shows that soccer is especially popular among U.S. residents of Latin American origin and is the second-favorite sport among younger adults (up to 35 years old). The NFL remains the undisputed king in the United States.
Another Ipsos poll, conducted after the tournament’s group stage ended, shows that 57% of Americans believe the 2026 World Cup will increase the country’s general interest in the sport. “We are not as far behind in this sport’s popularity as people often say, and I think this World Cup has proven that,” said Brendan Hunt, producer and star of the series Ted Lasso, which follows the adventures of an American football coach managing a team in the English league. The series, surprisingly, has also helped spread interest in the sport. “It has made it more popular,” agreed Jason Sudeikis, the lead actor, during a meeting with reporters before the Argentina–Switzerland match in Kansas City.
Authorities are boasting about the World Cup’s success, while U.S. league officials aim to capitalize on the momentum the tournament has generated in the country to consolidate soccer as a mainstream sport and exploit business opportunities in the world’s richest market. “The growth we are experiencing this season reflects the consistency and momentum MLS has built over the past three years,” said Camilo Durana, MLS director of business.
Professional soccer in the United States is a relatively recent phenomenon. It did not spark widespread interest until the 1994 World Cup, when the Romário–Bebeto partnership led a star-studded Brazil. For many Americans it was the first chance to see soccer on television. Many children then began kicking a ball. Two years later MLS, the national competition, was founded. But the sport’s growth in the U.S. has been slow and uneven. Still, growth accelerated exponentially with the arrival of figures such as David Beckham, president of Inter Miami, and, above all, Lionel Messi — the player who has done the most to boost the league in the domestic market.
“Since 2018, MLS’s total attendance has risen 33%, from roughly nine million annual fans to more than 12 million,” an internal league report notes. That figure places MLS’s total attendance as the second-highest in the world, behind only the Premier League. Durana emphasized: “From steady audience growth to record single-match attendances at multiple clubs, as well as expanded digital and social engagement, fans are connecting with the league at unprecedented levels, while global attention to soccer has continued to rise with this summer’s FIFA World Cup.”
The numbers handled by the organization that coordinates the professional league are revealing. Soccer has never been this popular in the United States and Canada. The problem is that true fans are often more interested in international leagues such as the Premier League or Spain’s La Liga than in their own domestic competition. Maher, an Ethiopian-born taxi driver, says he is a Real Madrid fan. He watches all the matches of his idols Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius via a mobile app. He knows the Spanish league better than the U.S. one, but pays little attention to MLS.
That is why U.S. teams are trying to attract stars. This summer they signed players such as Antoine Griezmann and Robert Lewandowski, who have the pull to bring in crowds even if they are at the end of their careers.
The world’s richest country is fertile ground for soccer. Citizens spend more on sport-related experiences than in other countries. Over the last decade, major European clubs have multiplied exhibition matches in the U.S. to conquer the market and try to win fans. Last year’s Club World Cup sought to consolidate the sport and open the door to a lucrative potential market of more than 300 million fans.
“I’ve seen a lot of people say they want to keep following soccer after this World Cup, especially Americans, who call it soccer. I’m glad that many people who weren’t interested before are now excited about it. The real challenge is that to be a true fan you need to follow at least some league matches and have a team to support; it can be any league,” wrote a Reddit user named Orielle in a post that generated hundreds of responses. “Honestly, I think there’s a very small chance these new soccer fans will keep their interest once the seasons of their other sports start. Still, I hope they remain fans, although I have my doubts.”
The problem is that major national broadcasters prefer to air NFL or NBA games rather than those of the U.S. professional soccer league. That makes it hard to build a strong bond with fans. However, there is an underground movement spreading among young audiences that is filling stadiums. Last season five clubs set single-match attendance records. A total of 75,824 Colorado Rapids fans sold out tickets on April 18 to see their team face Inter Miami and Lionel Messi. Three matches last season topped 72,000 spectators, reflecting that soccer, despite all the challenges, is gradually taking hold in a country that already wants to host another international tournament.
“We have to do this again and we have to do it while I’m around, you hear that Gianni?” Trump told his friend Infantino a week ago, realizing that soccer is a great advertising platform in a growing market.
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