World Cup 2026: How US football has evolved since hosting in 1994
Key takeaways
- In the 32 years since last hosting the World Cup, football has moved from the margins to the mainstream in the US.
- Back then, when the US last hosted the World Cup, the country had no professional league and the national team was cobbled together with ex-collegians, journeymen, and semi-professionals.
- “Leading into ’94, we were at risk on the ticket side,” former US Soccer President Sunil Gulati told Al Jazeera in a recent interview.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
In the 32 years since last hosting the World Cup, football has moved from the margins to the mainstream in the US.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Bebeto scores for Brazil against the US as Alexi Lalas tries to tackle him in the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup [Action Images/Reuters]By Frank Dell’Apa Published On 9 May 20269 May 2026Football has gained a foothold in the US, and the country seems ready to host the World Cup this summer – which was not clear in 1994.
Back then, when the US last hosted the World Cup, the country had no professional league and the national team was cobbled together with ex-collegians, journeymen, and semi-professionals.