U.S. soccer surges ahead of 2026 World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup opened with 78 of its 104 matches in 11 U.S. host cities, the biggest American showcase for the sport since 1994. The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 with 48 teams, and the United States is sharing hosting duties with Mexico and Canada.

That scale lands after years of steady audience growth. Nielsen found soccer fandom in North America rose 11% from 2020 to 2025, and U.S. viewers spent 79.8 billion minutes watching soccer in 2025. The numbers point to a sport that has moved from a periodic curiosity to a habit for millions of households.

The live game has grown just as visibly. Major League Soccer set a regular-season average attendance record of 23,234 in 2024 and passed 11 million total fans for the first time that season. The National Women’s Soccer League also crossed a milestone in 2024, surpassing 2 million regular-season attendees for the first time in league history.

Rutgers has traced that rise to something structural rather than promotional. U.S. soccer developed without a single national marketing push, while MLS, the NWSL and youth participation built the base from the ground up. US Youth Soccer says it has 3 million players in its programs, a pipeline that keeps feeding local clubs, school fields and professional crowds as the country hosts its first men’s World Cup on American soil since 1994.