--- title: "World Cup run fails to move US soccer needle, Ipsos poll shows" description: "Only 17% of Americans are excited about the tournament despite USMNT’s deep World Cup run, per AP/Ipsos data." url: https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/new-poll-reveals-world-cup-success-has-failed-to-spark-socce-db0e610a published: 2026-07-02T19:05:46.228+00:00 updated: 2026-07-02T19:05:46.228+00:00 author: "Kostadin Stamboliev" publisher: "Pineido" site: "Sportopod" language: en topics: ["soccer"] --- # World Cup run fails to move US soccer needle, Ipsos poll shows > Only 17% of Americans are excited about the tournament despite USMNT’s deep World Cup run, per AP/Ipsos data. The USMNT’s World Cup knockout-stage run hasn’t translated into broader soccer enthusiasm in America, according to a new Ipsos poll conducted for the AP. Only about two in ten US adults identify as soccer fans, trailing football, basketball, and baseball by wide margins. The survey found just 17% of Americans are extremely or very excited about the World Cup, a figure that drops to 14% among non-soccer fans. Among those who do follow the sport, 55% say they’re more excited about this year’s tournament than previous editions, but that intensity hasn’t spread across the general public. This lukewarm reception highlights the immense cultural head start enjoyed by established American sports. While the NFL, NBA, and MLB benefit from multi-generational fandom and daily media cycles, soccer remains a niche pursuit for the majority of the population. The disparity is not just about history but about the sheer volume of entertainment options; soccer is fighting for attention in a crowded marketplace where football and basketball dominate the conversation 365 days a year. The upcoming 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted on US soil, represents a make-or-break moment for this growth trajectory. Merely staging the tournament is unlikely to alter the fundamental apathy of the non-fan; the sport must demonstrate consistent value beyond the patriotic adrenaline of a knockout run. The challenge for US Soccer is to translate the temporary engagement of a World Cup summer into the year-round habits required to challenge the traditional sports hierarchy. The poll underscores a familiar pattern: short-lived spikes in attention during major tournaments that fail to convert into sustained fandom. With the US co-hosting the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, the data suggests soccer still faces a steep climb to break into the mainstream before the tournament arrives on home soil. FIFA’s commercial revenue hit a record $7.5 billion in the 2022 cycle, but the US market remains a relative outlier. The Ipsos results align with Nielsen’s 2023 findings that soccer ranked fifth in US sports viewership, behind the NFL, MLB, NBA, and college football. The USMNT’s World Cup run drew 11.6 million average viewers on Fox and Telemundo combined, a strong figure for soccer in the US but still dwarfed by the NFL’s regular-season games, which averaged 17.6 million viewers per contest in 2023. The disconnect between tournament buzz and daily fandom persists despite the federation’s push for youth participation and media deals. The viewership gap exposes a fundamental difference in sports consumption habits. While the USMNT’s 11.6 million average is a strong number for soccer, it pales against the NFL’s 17.6 million regular-season benchmark. This indicates that soccer in the US is still treated as a novelty event rather than a weekly habit. The challenge lies in converting the casual, patriotic viewer who tunes in every four years into a consistent consumer of domestic leagues and club soccer. With the 2026 World Cup looming, the stagnation in popularity poses a strategic risk. The federation is banking on the home-field advantage to spark a boom, but history suggests that hosting alone doesn't rewrite the cultural hierarchy. The entrenched dominance of football, basketball, and baseball means soccer must fight for relevance not just during the tournament, but in the quiet years between. Without a sustained engagement strategy, the 2026 hype risks being another fleeting spike rather than a permanent floor. US Soccer CEO Matt Crocker acknowledged the challenge in a statement to the AP: “We’re making progress, but the data shows we still have work to do to convert tournament excitement into lasting engagement.” The federation has invested in grassroots programs and partnerships with leagues like MLS to bridge the gap. What’s next: The USMNT will face Mexico in the Nations League final on June 29 in Las Vegas, a match that could test whether recent on-field success can reignite broader interest before the 2026 cycle ramps up. ## Why this matters The Ipsos poll reveals a stubborn truth: World Cup success for the USMNT doesn’t automatically translate into deeper soccer fandom in America. As the US prepares to co-host the 2026 tournament, the data highlights the urgency for the sport to convert short-term excitement into long-term cultural relevance, or risk repeating the same boom-and-bust cycle that has defined its place in the US sports landscape. ## Frequently asked ### How many Americans identify as soccer fans according to the Ipsos poll? The poll found only about two in ten US adults identify as soccer fans, a figure that trails significantly behind football, basketball, and baseball. ### What percentage of Americans are excited about the World Cup? Just 17% of US adults are extremely or very excited about the World Cup, with enthusiasm dropping to 14% among non-soccer fans. ### How does soccer viewership in the US compare to the NFL? Soccer’s average World Cup viewership of 11.6 million pales next to the NFL’s regular-season average of 17.6 million viewers per game in 2023. ### What is FIFA’s global revenue, and how does it relate to the US market? FIFA’s commercial revenue reached a record $7.5 billion in the 2022 cycle, but the US market remains a relative outlier in terms of sustained fandom. ### What steps is US Soccer taking to grow the sport in the US? The federation is investing in grassroots programs and partnerships with leagues like MLS to convert tournament excitement into lasting engagement. ## Sources & Citations - [New poll reveals World Cup success has failed to spark soccer popularity boom in the US](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/world-cup-2026-american-soccer-fans-b3007643.html) — Independent Sport (2026-07-02) --- Cite: World Cup run fails to move US soccer needle, Ipsos poll shows. Sportopod, 2026-07-02. https://sportopod.com/en-US/cluster/new-poll-reveals-world-cup-success-has-failed-to-spark-socce-db0e610a