Host cities anticipate that the World Cup will boost the popularity of ‘football’ in the US

As we countdown to the 2026 World Cup, cities across the US and passionate soccer enthusiasts are optimistic that this record-breaking quadrennial event will elevate the “beautiful game” for American supporters, who have predominantly shown interest in other forms of football.

Three years ago, FIFA President Gianni Infantino predicted that soccer would rise to prominence as the leading sport in the region, particularly when the largest-ever edition of the tournament unfolds across North America in 2026, with Mexico and Canada joining the US as co-hosts.

Although soccer still faces the challenge of competing against the well-established dominance of the men’s “Big Four” professional leagues in the U.S., the upcoming World Cup will take place in a nation vastly transformed since it last hosted in 1994.

Back in ’94, professional soccer was largely overlooked in the US, with Major League Soccer still two years away from its inaugural season.

At that time, a crowd of 94,194 filled the Rose Bowl for a lacklustre 0-0 draw in the final—Brazil eventually triumphed over Italy 3-2 on penalties—but it took the sport significant time to gain traction within mainstream American culture following that tournament.

“No one could have predicted that soccer would reach the level it is now,” stated Eddie Pope, who was part of the MLS since its inception, starting with D.C. United before moving to the then-New York/New Jersey MetroStars and Real Salt Lake.

“When I played at Real Salt Lake, our locker room was located in a strip mall, and we faced uncertainty about where we’d train some days.”

Now retired, Pope is focused on nurturing the next generation of players as the chief sporting officer at Carolina Core FC, an MLS Next Pro club aiming to use its new 11,000-square-foot (1,022-square-metre) training facility as a possible base for teams during the World Cup.

“Kids coming into the game today have no idea how far we’ve come,” Pope remarked to Reuters. “The quality of players, coaches, and referees has vastly improved—everything is on a different level. It’s been a long journey, but we’ve progressed at an incredible pace.”

With 11 of the 16 World Cup host cities situated in the US, event organisers aspire to create a lasting legacy for the sport in 2026, even as the men’s national team works to find its footing under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Atlanta, omitted from the roster in 1994 while preparing to host the Summer Olympics two years later, is set to become the unofficial soccer capital of the country with the opening of the US federation’s first national training centre there in April.

With eight matches planned for the southern city, including one semi-final, Atlanta anticipates an economic impact of around $500 million.

“We have developed a men’s league, and international matches are flooding into the United States,” noted Tim Zulawski, president of AMB Sports & Entertainment, which is owned by Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. “What it boils down to is that kids have role models and figures to look up to.”