Host cities aim to boost the popularity of ‘soccer’ in the US through World Cup spectacle

As the countdown to the 2026 World Cup ticks down to just one year, host cities across the United States are abuzz with excitement. Soccer enthusiasts are hopeful that this record-setting quadrennial event will elevate the status of the “beautiful game” among American fans, who have historically shown a preference for a different brand of football.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed three years ago his vision of soccer ascending to the pinnacle of sport in the region when this largest-ever tournament unfolds in North America, alongside co-hosts Mexico and Canada.

Despite the formidable hold that the men’s “Big Four” professional sports leagues have on American fandom, the upcoming spectacle promises to be a showcase of a United States that has significantly evolved since it last hosted the World Cup in 1994.

Back then, professional soccer was virtually nonexistent in the US, and Major League Soccer was still two years away from its inaugural season.

While a staggering 94,194 fans filled the stands of the Rose Bowl for a lacklustre 0-0 draw in the final—where Brazil eventually triumphed over Italy 3-2 on penalties—the journey to mainstream acceptance for the sport in America has been a slow one.

“No one would have imagined it would reach the heights we see today,” reflected Eddie Pope, a veteran of the MLS since its inception, having played initially for D.C. United before moving on to the New York/New Jersey MetroStars and Real Salt Lake.

“During my time at Real Salt Lake, our locker room was in a strip mall, and some days we didn’t even know where we would be training.”

The former defender is now nurturing the next generation as the chief sporting officer at Carolina Core FC, an MLS Next Pro club that hopes its new 1,022 square-metre training facility will become a pivotal base during the World Cup.

“Kids today have no idea,” Pope told Reuters. “The players, coaches, and referees have all improved significantly—everything’s just better. Though it took time, I’d say we’ve progressed at breakneck speed.”

With 11 out of the 16 World Cup host cities nestled in the U.S., organisers are keen to establish a lasting legacy for soccer in 2026, even as the men’s national team seeks to find its stride under the leadership of new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Atlanta, omitted from the 1994 roster due to its preparations for the Summer Olympics in 1996, is set to transform into the unofficial soccer capital of the country when the U.S. federation opens its inaugural national training centre there in April.

With eight matches scheduled in this southern hub, including a semi-final, Atlanta anticipates generating approximately $500 million in economic impact.

“We now have a men’s league that’s been nurtured, and international matches are flooding into the United States,” said Tim Zulawski, president of AMB Sports & Entertainment, owned by Atlanta Falcons proprietor Arthur Blank. “Ultimately, what’s most important is that kids have role models to idolise and aspire to.”