“Making soccer the number one sport in the United States is a big but not impossible task”

There are less than 500 days to go before the 2026 World Cup kicks off with the tournament being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and United States. One of the main objectives for the organisation committee is to boost the game of football/soccer in the US and capitalize on the solid progression that MLS has made in the past years.

Much has been said about the great challenge that the United States faces in boosting the sport given the popularity of long established sports Stateside such as American football (NFL), basketball (NBA) and baseball (MLB).

Speaking on the subject recently, iconic Italian coach Fabio Capello confirmed that the task to propel soccer into the top spot in the US would be complicated but was confident that the game would continue to grow in popularity.

“It’s going to be difficult to make soccer the number one sport in the United States because of the deep-rooted existing sports cultures, but this event will be a big step forward that will reshape the sport for the next decade,” Capello acknowledged.

2026 World Cup will be ‘game changer’

The former AC Milan and England national team manager claimed that the tournament in 2026 would be key in encouraging younger generations to understand the football phenomenon, which, from the Italian coach’s point of view, has enough potential to be number one in the United States with an important base of work and economic support during the following years.

“We will hear about this momentum in 10 years when young people who have seen these World Cups, who have attended the World Cup, can understand that this sport will have great visibility, great economic strength and that it can deliver results. Every American is involved in ensuring that this sport tries to become number one in the United States,” he added.

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