In classrooms across Kansas, children now recite the names of England’s top players as easily as they once memorized baseball stats, a sign that soccer has moved from a niche pastime to a mainstream conversation.
The story stretches back to the 1994 World Cup, when the United States hosted the tournament amid limited infrastructure; the U.S. team even trained on a nearby California beach because suitable pitches were scarce, and legendary broadcaster Jim McKay brought the event into American living rooms.
The 1994 World Cup: A Turning Point
That tournament also delivered a historic victory over Colombia and sparked the creation of Major League Soccer the following year, laying the groundwork for a professional league that would grow alongside the sport’s rising popularity.
Today, the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Georgia boasts state‑of‑the‑art facilities that contrast sharply with those early days, while the upcoming 2026 World Cup will be co‑hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, promising a new wave of exposure.
Women’s Soccer and Early Triumphs
The 1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup victory captured the nation’s attention, showcasing the talent of players like Tab Ramos and Alexi Lalas and inspiring a generation of young girls to pick up a ball.
Broadcast partners such as Fox, Paramount+ and Tubi will share the 2026 World Cup rights, bringing the tournament to millions of American households and featuring commentary from former European stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The Messi Effect
Lionel Messi’s move to Inter Miami in 2023 filled NFL stadiums and dramatically increased soccer’s visibility across the United States, turning matches into cultural events that rival the biggest American sports spectacles.
Beyond star power, the sport’s infrastructure continues to expand, with more youth academies, improved stadium standards and a growing fan base that suggests soccer’s place in American culture is only deepening.