32 years after hosting the 1994 World Cup, how has U.S. soccer changed?
Frank Dell’Apa
Thirty-two years after its first World Cup as host in 1994, U.S. soccer has undergone a dramatic transformation—from no professional league and a team of amateurs to a thriving 30-team MLS, modern stadiums, and surging fan interest. The upcoming 2026 World Cup will showcase a vastly changed landscape, with record ticket demand and a sport now firmly part of American culture.
The last time the United States hosted the World Cup was 1994, when the country had no professional soccer league, and the national team consisted of college graduates, amateurs, and semi-professionals. Former U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati recalled: “Before the 1994 World Cup, we faced a risk in ticket sales. For the U.S. organizing committee, the big worry was whether we would sell out the games.”
In the end, that tournament was a success. It set an attendance record of 3.5 million people (averaging 68,991 per match); the U.S. team advanced past the group stage for the first time since 1930, only to lose 1-0 to eventual champion Brazil in the Round of 16; and the seeds for the professional Major League Soccer (MLS) were planted.
Thirty-two years later, U.S. soccer has shifted from the margins to the mainstream. MLS is thriving, the national team is ranked 16th in the FIFA world rankings, and demand for tickets to the 2026 World Cup far outstrips supply.
Gulati said: “If someone had said in 1994 that MLS would have 30 teams, 22 soccer-specific stadiums, and average attendance of 20,000—that would have been unimaginable. The entire picture is completely different. The most obvious change is the growth of professional leagues: MLS and the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). We didn't have any top-tier league then. Now there's also the USL in Divisions 2 and 3. The number of teams has skyrocketed.”
According to U.S. Soccer data, there are now 127 licensed professional teams—102 men's and 25 women's. Gulati added: “18 of the 50 most valuable soccer teams in the world are in MLS. That's an extraordinary number. The women's team in Columbus just sold for $205 million. Commercial revenue from soccer and leagues is at an all-time high.”
Much of the credit goes to former FIFA President Joao Havelange, who saw the future. He wanted the 1994 World Cup to be held in the U.S., alongside the formation of a professional league. However, organized soccer in America dates back to the late 19th century, with the American Cup launched in 1884. But over the following decades, many professional leagues collapsed, and after the North American Soccer League (NASL) folded in 1984, the future of U.S. soccer seemed hopeless.
Farrukh Quraishi, a soccer executive who played in the NASL, noted: “FIFA recognized long ago that for soccer to grow globally, it had to succeed in the U.S. This is a huge and wealthy market. Now, look at who is buying clubs in MLS—they're NFL owners.”
In 1996, MLS officially launched. Havelange attended the opening match at the rickety Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California. The San Jose Clash beat D.C. United 1-0 on an 88th-minute goal by Eric Wynalda—just in time to avoid that era's peculiar “shootout,” where players faced the goalkeeper from 32 meters out. That format ended in 2000.
Soccer-specific stadiums began appearing in 1999, with Columbus Crew Stadium becoming the first modern U.S. soccer venue since Mark's Stadium (1922). Now there are 22 such stadiums. However, former U.S. national team striker Eric Wynalda criticizes the current system for making players lack ambition: “Facilities don't create talent. We need to focus more on a competitive environment to develop players. We tell them winning and losing don't matter, then wonder why they don't win. We've lost the competitive edge.”
Wynalda advocates for a promotion/relegation system. Meanwhile, MLS's franchise model has generated wealth, with teams like Los Angeles FC valued at up to $1.25 billion, but the quality of play hasn't always matched. MLS teams have often struggled in CONCACAF competitions, though Seattle Sounders ended a 22-year drought for MLS by winning the title in 2022.
Alexi Lalas, a former U.S. national team defender from 1994 and now a Fox Sports commentator, observed: “U.S. soccer has become a very different world. Soccer is still not king in America, but let's be honest, it's part of the overall picture, definitely part of the culture for this generation.” He predicts the U.S. will leverage “host magic” to reach the quarterfinals, while Gulati believes soccer will continue to grow after the 2026 World Cup: “That's the legacy of the tournament and why we bid.”
