The first month of the World Cup provided ideal conditions to fuel the growth of soccer in the U.S.
The tournament returned to North America for the first time in 30 years, expansion resulted in more games for fans to watch, and the U.S., Mexican, and Canadian teams all advanced to the knockout round. With the NBA and NHL playoffs finishing early during the World Cup, the tournament also faced minimal competition from other major sporting events. As the first few weeks of games played out in June, Sports Poll™ tracked the impact of the World Cup on Americans’ soccer fandom.
Nearly half (49%) of all Americans identified as fans of pro soccer in June, up from 44% for the previous 12 months. That equated to 15 million more fans. Avid fandom increased from 10% to 15% for the month (or 14 million more avid fans). Sports Poll™ also asks Americans which sport they are “most interested in right now” to gauge how they prioritize their time on sports. The number who said they were most interested in pro soccer nearly doubled in June, with 16 million more Americans saying it was their top sports priority.
A bump in fandom from the World Cup is typical. A few weeks ago, we showed that pro soccer fandom has increased during every World Cup year since 1998. Gains are typically more concentrated in casual fandom though. The growth of priority metrics like avid fandom and the sport most interested in right now may be more telling of the stronger momentum with this year’s World Cup and potential for a greater long-term impact.
For more information on how fans engage in the World Cup and other major sporting events, reach out to us.
Sports Poll™ by SSRS is conducted continuously throughout the year and includes a nationally representative sample of more than 24,000 Americans each year.
