The U.S. importance to the FIFA World Cup

Published On - 1 de December de 2022

Amir Somoggi Soccer

Sports Value publishes a special analysis on US soccer market. Until the 2O26 World Cup there will be several analyses and special publications on this subject.

The U.S. soccer market is growing rapidly and is already one of the greatest economic powers of the modality.

  • Growth of school-age practice,
  • Structured pro league,
  • Urban youth interest
  • Strong appeal to Latinos,
  • Soccer as entertainment
  • Export of U.S. players to European leagues.

This Qatar World Cup will show high impacts from the U.S., an increasingly important market for the football industry.

According to FIFA data, at the 2014 World Cup more than 105 million Americans watched the World Cup held in Brazil. The total audience was 79 million at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Accumulated U.S. audience at FIFA World Cup- Million

Currently USA is behind only China and Brazil as TV audience generator to the World Cup.

Youth interest in soccer 

A key point of soccer’s success in the USA is the practice of young people, especially girls.

In the USA there are already more than 25 million soccer practitioners in a recurring way. More than Brazil and Germany, for example.

Gallup’s recent data show that 11% of the youngest are soccer fans , compared to 6% in baseball. Among the youngest, soccer and basketball are tied.

Interest in the main modalities in the USA- By age- Gallup

According to data from YouGov Sport, 14% of Americans under the age of 18 currently practice soccer.

European competitions such as Champions League, Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, have gained ground exactly with this audience.

MLS Strength

The MLS professional league has helped a lot to popularize soccer in the country and today only to enter the league, the investor needs to pay US$ 325 million. And the value was US$ 50 million 10 years ago.

According to Sportico´s data, the combined 28 MLS teams are worth US$ 16 billion. LAFC is the most valuable with US$ 900 million, followed by LA Galaxy US$ 865 million and Atlanta United US$ 855 million.

The new broadcast contract with Apple TV will increase revenues and the business size. MLS audiences are young and connected to streaming broadcasts. Apple will pay a minimum of US$ 250 million per season.

Previously, the League received about US$ 100 million each year for its broadcasts.

According to Sports Value´s analysis, with the MLS revenues growth, the league will pass the Brazilian Serie A, and will become the largest football league outside Europe. And with great chances to surpass Ligue 1 and Italian Serie A.

It increasingly makes sense to grow soccer in the USA.