Yesterday the hosts of the World Cup 2026 were announced and North America won the bid over Morocco. Together, USA, Mexico and Canada will be hosting the prestigious tournament in eight years time.
US fans are soccer-mad
The United States hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup and this had a huge impact on the growth of the sport following the event. Winning the bid for the 2026 tournament marks a remarkable period of growth in the United States. In the 1994 World Cup, there were massive attendances at games as the country embraced the sport and delivered a fantastic event. The average attendance record of that tournament was 68,991 – a record that still stands today. So the appetite is definitely there for football (or ‘soccer’ as they call it) spectating in the US.
Americans will hope that this bid victory will propel their national league to higher levels. Grassroots football is very good but the standard of the national league has still not reached a high standard yet, in comparison to the strong leagues in Europe. However, the younger generations of Americans are showing more interest in football than their parents did. So there is a huge scope for the popularity to grow further and with that popularity comes more money and higher quality within the game.
MLS has attracted big name players
Currently, the MLS has seen as a league that top players move to when their career is coming to an end. David Beckham was the first big name from England to make the move to the MLS, where his global brand and reputation did a lot to gain more attention for the MLS. More recently, we have seen Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard, David Villa and Andrea Pirlo head to the US. Wayne Rooney is rumoured to be close to signing for D.C. United after a short, unsuccessful spell at his boyhood club Everton.
Can WC 2026 give the US a breakthrough to a stronger league?
So it is hoped that through hosting the World Cup in 2026, the MLS can show the world again why it is a great place to play football, besides the lifestyle perks. This could be the platform that the US needs to attract the big names whilst they are still at the peak of their careers, rather than the last stop before retirement.
