The Stats Show that the US is starting to Love Soccer

For decades, soccer was one of those sports that never managed to catch on in the US, even though efforts have been made to popularize it. The sport always seemed foreign or at least European to American audiences.

However, the research shows that things have started to change in this regard in the last couple of years. Overall, changes in demographics and cultural attitudes drive American fans' renewed interest in soccer.

Who are the New American Soccer Fans?

The research done by Morning Consult shows that soccer fans are younger and more diverse than general sports fans in the United States. More than 54 percent of those who identify as soccer fans are younger than 45. For the NBA, that number is 51; for the NFL and MLB, it's 46 and 43, respectively.

The fans are also more culturally diverse. The same report states that about 40 percent are persons of color, and about 30 percent are Latinos. It's a large and already growing market, and according to the census data, it will be so for the years to come.

Game Attendance

Both Major League Soccer (MLS) and National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) also break records when it comes to fans attending games. The leagues had over 10 million fans in attendance yearly since 2023. Interestingly enough, that number was at one million in 2013.

United FC and Charlotte FC became the first two clubs in league history to have an attendance of 65,000+ on the same day. The League opening had over 380.000 fans in attendance for the first time last year. NWSL is also expanding the franchise by adding new teams next year.

Online Betting

The increased interest in soccer is also seen in crypto sports betting. Almost all the sports betting sites offer the players a chance to bet on American and worldwide soccer events. A younger demographic of betters who follow soccer prefer crypto betting to the alternatives.

Cryptocurrencies allow the players to make wagers without providing any personal data. At the same time, smart contracts that operate on blockchain technology make the wagers fairer. The terms of the wager are written into the blockchain code, which guarantees that the payments are made as soon as the results are in.

Additionally, players must pay attention to the sports betting site they choose. Not all betting platforms allow betting with all types of crypto - they always allow the most popular crypto. If you are a fan of Shiba Inu, for example, you must make sure that this crypto is allowed as a deposit token. Also, for the long-term players, factors like welcome bonuses and loyalty rewards are crucial factors when choosing their crypto betting platform. You can always check this guide, and learn more so you can make a more informed decision when choosing a crypto betting site that matches your needs.

Global Viewing Rights

At this point, watching NFL games has become increasingly complicated for an average viewer. It requires them to have cable but also pay a subscription for an additional service. With the growing popularity of soccer, the networks wanted to avoid such fragmentation of the market and went for a comprehensive deal.

MLS struck a deal with Apple for the right to stream the games for ten years at a price of $2.5 billion. It would allow Apple to stream all the League games globally to their growing audience. NWSL will soon reach a similar deal with CBS for $4.5 billion and a separate deal with Twitch's streaming platform for one billion.

Apple has also introduced an app that will provide viewers with live scores, betting lines, stats, and more, making for a more immersive experience.

Liga MX

Liga MX, the best domestic league in Mexico, has also doubled its number of viewers within the US. The chunk of American fans of Liga MX has been growing for years and had a huge spike in 2021. The introduction of the League Cup, which combines Liga MX and the American MLS, will contribute to this trend more.

A study also shows that 60 million Americans consider themselves fans of the Mexican National Team. The US is the second largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, with over 13 percent of the population speaking the language at home.

2026 FIFA World Cup

The Fifa World Cup will take place in the US, Mexico, and Canada, and it's already one of the most anticipated sports events on the roster. This, coupled with the successes of the US-based and US national teams abroad, has led to even more interest in soccer from American fans.

The format of the World Cup has also changed and now includes 48 teams – 16 more than before. Therefore, the total number of games will be 104 instead of the usual 64.

To Sum Up

After decades of being somewhat ignored by the media and fans, soccer is becoming increasingly popular in the US. There are many reasons why this is the case, including the changing demographics of the US in general.

Soccer fans are mostly younger and more ethnically diverse. The change is noticeable in the way sports fans bet and in the attention, soccer is getting from the media. The same is true for the women's league, and the trends are going to continue in the years to come as the US hosts the FIFA World Cup.

28.09.2024