Roger Bennett says we’re entering the American century of soccer
If you asked AI to create someone with the perfect résumé to help popularize the sport of soccer in the U.S., the result would be very close to Roger Bennett. Born and raised in Liverpool, a lifelong Everton supporter who grew up in thrall of American pop culture. Moved to the U.S. after college and made the country his home, eventually becoming a citizen and publishing a memoir called (Re)born in the USA. Started the Men in Blazers podcast (that name a playful nod to the tradition of sportscasters and pundits wearing blazers) on ESPN in 2010 after realizing that almost no one in American journalism knew a damn thing about soccer, especially the elite leagues of Europe. Grew that eccentric little pod into a full-blown independent media network, with a TV show on NBC, documentaries, live events, a steady stream of partnerships with major brands, 97 full-time employees, and 15 additional podcasts. Raised outside money, a $15 million Series A in 2025, to expand coverage ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, running in 16 cities across North America. Bennett and I sat down in Fast Company’s Manhattan offices in late March, three months ahead of the start of the World Cup, during the relative calm before that storm, the day before he flew to Atlanta for a Men in Blazers event with Big Boi, formerly of OutKast. We traced the growth of Men in Blazers (which, not coincidentally, tracks the growth of soccer in America), the unique way the network works with brands (Marriott, Michelob Ultra, Visa, Unilever, and others mentioned below), the significance of this moment for his business, the tensions inherent in the Americanization of the world’s most popular game, and more. This interview has been edited and condensed. You can hear the full Office Hour audio version wherever you get your podcasts. I feel like soccer has been America’s sport of the future my entire life. It has. It’s always been about to happen. This World Cup is the moment that’s going to turn it into the sport of