Back in 1994, the USA hosted the men’s World Cup for the first time. For the organizers, FIFA, and the commercial partners, it was one of the most ambitious events in history. They believed that bringing the jewel in soccer’s crown to the States would herald a new era for the sport, one that would inspire millions of Americans to play soccer and become interested in the game.
While USA ’94 wasn’t a failure – far from it – there was nevertheless a sense that the gamble didn’t pay off. Participation in soccer didn’t rocket as the organizers hoped. And while the women’s game did grow significantly throughout the 1990s, the men’s game only saw marginal gains. There have been many theories as to why this was the case. But most of them can be summed up by saying the conditions were simply not right for soccer to cast its spell over the American public.
But 28 years later, soccer is in a different place in America. And now with the 2022 World Cup coming this winter in Qatar, followed by the North American World Cup in 2026, experts are wondering whether the time is ripe for an explosion in interest in soccer in both the United States and Canada across the 2020s.
US and Canada can surprise
Perhaps the main reason for the optimism is the quality of the North American teams. While the World Cup betting for Qatar 2022 still favors the powerhouses from Europe and South America, there is a sense that both the USMNT and Canadian teams can do well this winter. Indeed, it’s worth noting that Canada has reached the World Cup finals for only the second time in its history, and the first time since 1986. But this is no fluke, the Canadians have a young, exciting team that can really do something unexpected in Qatar. The US, which has a squad stuffed full of Champions League players, can also go a lot further than the betting odds say.
For those wanting to grow the game in North America, the goal is simple: They wish to see the US and Canada perform well enough in Qatar to provide a platform for the ‘home’ World Cup in 2026. Back in 1994, there was a sense that the USA team was little more than a curiosity. It had badly performed in the 1990 World Cup in Italy, so there was little cause for optimism among fans getting behind the team. Today, both teams are young and full of potential, with several key players set to peak by the middle of the decade.
A tough test awaits
Of course, much of this is easier said than done. Canada, in particular, will face a tough group in the early stages of Qatar. But it would be unsurprising to see at least one of them go deep into the tournament. That, coupled with a sense of building something, can pay dividends as the US, Canada, and Mexico begin to try to market the 2026 World Cup to millions of potential fans in the coming years.
Soccer can be a “generational sport”. Many of the players who play for the current world champions, France, will have grown up watching the great French team of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and that team, in turn, would have been inspired by the brilliant French sides of the 1980s led by Michel Platini. There is a chance for North American men’s soccer to build something similar here, to get closer to the level of the women’s game and other sports, and grow men’s soccer for future generations. It won’t be easy, but the road begins in Qatar on November 21st.
