Will The 2026 FIFA World Cup Finally Make America A Soccer Nation?

BusinessMediaWill The 2026 FIFA World Cup Finally Make America A Soccer Nation?ByEmil Steiner,Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover the intersection of culture and media.Follow AuthorJun 08, 2026, 06:00am EDTIt’s time again for the quadrennial question: Can this be the World Cup that finally converts U.S. sports fans to soccer fanatics?WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 22: FIFA President Gianni Infantino shows U.S. President Donald Trump the World Cup Trophy in the Oval Office as Vice President JD Vance looks on August 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump announced the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw will take place at The Kennedy Center. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)Getty ImagesIn 2026, the answer might be yes, or at least closer than ever. For the first time since 1994, the FIFA World Cup is being played on (North) American soil, and polling suggests an attitude shift. According to Numerator research, nearly a third of U.S. adults now plan to watch the 2026 tournament, up from 26% in January. YouGov data shows that 43% of U.S. sports fans cite hosting the tournament as a key reason they plan to tune in, which is the single biggest driver of viewership intent. And Nielsen reported in October that 37% of the general population expects their interest in soccer to grow over the next 18 months.But pretournament enthusiasm and sustained fandom are different things. Before speculating on how this year will be different, it’s important to unpack why the world’s most popular sport has failed to capture and hold American audiences.Why Soccer Never Became America’s Favorite SportNFL football is and has been the dominant U.S. television draw since the late 20th century. Even in our era of media fragmentation and atomized taste, American football consistently dominates the ratings, surviving along with election nights as one of our last durable media events. The Super Bowl remains the apotheosis of American ritualized mass viewing. In...