New polling from Ipsos Sports, provided exclusively to The Associated Press, reveals that while the World Cup has energized soccer fans and piqued interest among many Americans, the sport still struggles to achieve mainstream popularity in the United States.
Excitement Among Soccer Fans
The poll, conducted June 26-28 after the United States advanced from the group stage but before their knockout round victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina, found that about 6 in 10 soccer fans were “extremely” or “very” excited about the U.S. advancing to the knockout round. This is significantly higher than the 25% of all Americans who said the same. The U.S. men's national team had historically struggled in knockout rounds, with their last knockout win before Wednesday occurring in 2002.
Even before the victory against Bosnia-Herzegovina, fans were praising the team's performance. According to the poll, 55% of soccer fans said the U.S. team's performance was going “extremely well” or “very well,” while about one-quarter believed it was going “somewhat well.” Similarly, about half of soccer fans rated the United States' role as a co-host as at least “very” good.
FIFA Approval and General Interest
Enthusiasm for FIFA's management of the World Cup is lower. Only about one-third of soccer fans in the U.S. say FIFA is doing an “extremely” or “very” good job. The organization has faced criticism during the tournament for enforcing mandated hydration breaks that some say disrupt game momentum, as well as cooperating with travel restrictions and visa refusals against Iran. The poll found Americans and soccer fans are evenly split on their opinion of FIFA: about 2 in 10 U.S. adults have a positive view, 25% have a negative view, and 55% have no opinion.
Despite the World Cup being hosted in the U.S., getting Americans to care about soccer remains a challenge. Only about 2 in 10 Americans consider themselves fans of international or U.S. soccer, far behind those who follow professional football, basketball, or baseball. Roughly one-third of U.S. adults say they have heard or read “a lot” about the World Cup, though most have heard at least “a little.”
Limited Personal Interest Growth
About 17% of U.S. adults say they are “extremely” or “very” excited about the rest of the World Cup, up slightly from Ipsos polling in May but still low. While most Americans (about 6 in 10) expect the World Cup to increase general interest in soccer, only 24% say they personally have become more interested. Soccer fans are more optimistic: about three-quarters expect the World Cup to boost Americans' general interest, and roughly half say it has increased their own interest. In contrast, only 17% of non-fans report increased personal interest.
Engagement Beyond Watching
Outside of watching games, Americans are engaging with the World Cup in various ways. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults—including half of soccer fans—have used social media to follow teams and players. Roughly one-quarter have gone to a restaurant or bar to watch a game or plan to, and about 2 in 10 have attended a watch party. About 2 in 10 U.S. adults (33% of soccer fans) have purchased official merchandise like jerseys or scarves. With sportsbooks noting that World Cup betting has exceeded expectations amid the USMNT's success, about 1 in 10 Americans have placed an official bet, and 5% have traded on game outcomes using a prediction market. Additionally, 8% have watched a game from a host city.
