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[객원 에디터 10기 / 김시헌 기자] After the United States gained independence, sports became a crucial aspect of American society, contributing to shaping a formidable and innovative nation. The zeal for teams and players formed strong connections between people and formed a dynamic sports community across the country.
As other sports began to create their own association and federations, the United States formed a football association named the US Football Association(later renamed the US Soccer Federation) in 1913, becoming one of the primary associations to be affiliated with FIFA. While this initiated an appeal from the US for a football community, football in America was regularly overlooked as a tedious and dull sport. Amidst a period of waning interest in football, the American public shifted its focus toward other athletic pursuits, notably baseball and basketball, neglecting football in the sports community. Consequently, the nation’s football community was constantly overlooked, engendering the decline in competitiveness and a subsequent decrease in the overall quality of play. However, throughout the past years, football emerged as a notable sport in the US, rapidly increasing its prevalence across the nation through signing prominent players and hosting a 2026 World Cup.
Looking at the primary reasons for the significant rise in football’s popularity, the signing of prominent footballers helped establish a zealous football community across the states, as these signings increased competitiveness in the MLS. Furthermore, these shocking signings in MLS brought a significant increase in attention to the MLS as citizens began to search for football stadiums rather than baseball or basketball parks. To illustrate this point, Lionel Messi,widely regarded as the most prominent and respected figure in world football, shocked the football community when he joined Inter Miami in 2023. News of Messi’s signing took immediate effect, reverberating across the global football landscapes as he formed attention towards MLS. Looking at just the three major social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, X), Instagram followers of Inter Miami increased by 1100% while Facebook and Twitter marked 987% and 413% increase, respectively. These increases in social media followers demonstrated the massive boom of attention towards the MLS, while Broadcast Platforms began to collaborate with the MLS. Moreover, Heungmin Son, named as the greatest player of all time in Asia and a former captain of Tottenham Hotspurs, signed with LAFC, marking the highest transfer fee ever paid for an incoming player in Major League Soccer history. His contract with LAFC engendered a significant impact towards the football community as he had the highest-selling jersey in the world, while he created notable achievements in drawing attention towards MLS. Since his highly anticipated arrival on August 6th, Son has generated over 339 million impressions and 14 million engagements across Major League Soccer and LAFC social media platforms. Furthermore, these signings of prominent players have a significant impact on the local economy, as countless fans visit the city. In 2022, Inter Miami’s Average Attendance Rate was over 17,000, which was the 2nd smallest number in MLS. However, after Lionel Messi’s contract, the average attendance for Inter Miami’s games jumped up to 24,000, creating a significant impact on the local economy by maximizing spending in the local community and services. While superstars created economic growth in the local cities, these conspicuous examples of major contracts in MLS formed a significant boost to the popularity of MLS, increasing its influence in the US Football.
In addition, the arrival of eminent players was not the sole catalyst for the sport’s rising popularity. The United States Women’s National Soccer Team, consistently ranked among the best in the world, has played a pivotal role in elevating football’s status nationwide through its remarkable international achievements. According to FIFA, their FIFA Ranking is placed 2nd in the world, manifesting their competence in world wide football. As a result, a growing number of Americans have gradually developed an interest in the U.S. Women’s National Team, which has fostered broader engagement with football as a whole. This shift in public attention signifies a transition from supporting a single team to a more prevalent appreciation and attention towards an often overlooked sport.
While recent signings of prominent footballers have certainly contributed to the growing interest, the US continues to experience an unprecedented surge of excitement surrounding football, due to the nation’s selection as the host for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. As 48 teams from across the globe compete for the honor and the most prestigious trophy, the World Cup is recognized as the largest football event in the world. Due to those reasons, cities throughout the US are creating a zealous atmosphere as they host community events and prepare stadiums to welcome fans from diverse nations. Furthermore, The possibility of witnessing the US National Team’s surprising performances has raised awareness of football, while superstars such as Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo create an excitement for US citizens to see them on the pitch. In the US, football emerged as a regular topic of conversation in classrooms, offices, and coffee shops nationwide as this wave of enthusiasm helped football to permeate American society in ways never seen before. While the increase in attention to football continues in the US, the countdown towards the World Cup decreases in the US.
