US soccer’s rise since the 1994 World Cup, with 2026 on the horizon

The United States has expanded its professional soccer footprint and fan engagement since hosting the FIFA World Cup in 1994, moving from a relatively underdeveloped market to a more established environment as the 2026 tournament approaches.

In 1994, the US had no national top-flight professional league and the men’s national team drew heavily from former college players and semi-professionals. Even so, the tournament attracted a record 3.5 million spectators in total — an average of 68,991 per match — and helped lay the groundwork for Major League Soccer (MLS), which launched in 1996.

A bigger professional landscape MLS has grown into a 30-team league, with 22 soccer-specific stadiums and reported average crowds of about 20,000. The US Soccer Federation sanctions 127 professional teams across the men’s and women’s game (102 men’s teams and 25 women’s teams), underscoring the scale of the sport’s expansion.

Commercial interest has also increased. The article points to a women’s team in Columbus being valued at $205m and includes a claim that 18 of the world’s top 50 most valuable football teams are now in MLS. On the field, the US men’s national team is ranked 16th in the world by FIFA, according to the piece.

Ongoing debate: development and pay Despite the growth, criticism remains around player development pathways and compensation. The system involves millions of youth players, but critics argue that relatively few US players progress into prominent, top-earning roles within MLS.

As one indicator, the article says only two US players were among the top 40 highest-paid MLS players last year, while the league’s minimum annual salary is listed at $80,622. The question heading into 2026, the piece argues, is whether the US can translate its expanding infrastructure and commercial momentum into a deeper pipeline of elite, well-compensated domestic talent.