By Stephen Appezzato
Soccer – or football as it’s known outside the United States – the world’s most popular sport, has historically lagged behind American football in viewership in the U.S.
But now “the beautiful game” (the sport’s genteel nickname) is more popular than ever in the States as more and more fans develop deep bonds with European clubs.
It is no secret soccer is the world’s game, but just how big is it really?
Since the 1800s, soccer has dominated sports viewership and fandom around the globe. Today, an estimated 250 million people enjoy playing the sport across 200 countries and territories, with a staggering 3.5 billion fans. A testament to its influence, seven soccer teams boast higher net values than the Dallas Cowboys, the most valuable franchise in the NFL. Leading the list is the Spanish Club Real Madrid with a valuation of $6.07 billion.
Last year the MLS (Major League Soccer) and the NWSL (National Women’s Soccer League), the top men’s and women’s soccer leagues in the United States, reported record attendance for matches. With the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams competing in both world cups in the past 12 months, and the U.S. set to host the 2026 World Cup, more Americans than ever are following the sport.
Multiple factors have contributed to the gradual and steady rise of soccer culture in the U.S., including the historic success of the women’s national team, the increasing pedigree of the MLS and the arrival of legendary forward and World Cup winner Lionel Messi at Inter Miami earlier this summer.
Arguably the ability to stream English Premier League (EPL) matches in the U.S. in recent years has also been influential. The EPL, the highest tier of English soccer, hosts many of the world’s oldest and most popular soccer clubs. In 2015 NBC-TV secured exclusive broadcasting rights to the EPL in the United States. In 2021, NBC announced that EPL matches would be simulcast on Peacock, its popular streaming service, making the viewing experience for American fans easier than ever. Now, a simple subscription provides unlimited access to EPL games for American fans, providing hours of real-time viewership every Saturday and Sunday morning match day.
Concurrently, Apple TV+’s wildly popular “Ted Lasso,” an American sports dramedy, brought the passion, fun and sensational spectacle of English soccer to Americans through a feel-good sitcom. Through actor Jason Sudeikis as the warmhearted stereotypically American football coach who knew next to nothing about soccer, U.S. viewers could enter the traditional-filled world of English soccer culture. “Ted Lasso” helped draw in those initially uninterested in the game, introducing it to millions of Americans in an easily digestible way.
Similarly, FX’s “Welcome to Wrexham” has also served as an on-ramp for new soccer fans through television. The sports documentary series follows American celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenny as they purchase and rebuild the failing 158-year-old Welsh soccer club Wrexham A.F.C. The series documents Reynolds and McElhenny’s experiences owning a club and learning about the English Football Association, the governing body and league structure.
Alongside the expansion of Premier League broadcasting in the U.S. and the popularity of “Ted Lasso” and “Welcome to Wrexham,” American investment in the Premier League has also boosted soccer’s notoriety in the U.S. In recent years, American billionaires have bankrolled many Premier League teams, investing billions into clubs in exchange for part ownership. Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Fulham, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Leeds and Manchester City all have varying levels of U.S. ownership.
In 2022 alone, A.F.C. Bournemouth, a small club that was promoted to the Premier League for the 2022-23 season, was bought by American businessman and Vegas Golden Knights owner Bill Foley. That same month actor Michael B. Jordan announced his minority share investment in Bournemouth alongside Foley. Earlier that year, American businessman and part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers Todd Boehly bought Premier League powerhouse Chelsea F.C. for a whopping $5.3 billion.
With the influx of American money into the EPL, U.S. fans have expressed new interest in the sport, particularly in soccer teams under American leadership.
Capitalizing on the rising soccer craze in the states, the EPL launched its inaugural Summer Series tournament in July, featuring six English teams touring the East Coast of the U.S. to play friendly matches in a tournament format. English powerhouses Newcastle United, Brentford, Fulham, Aston Villa and Chelsea put on a show for American fans, even playing at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and Red Bull Arena in Harrison.
As the 2023-24 soccer season nears – both on a local and international scale – many anticipate this year’s soccer support in the U.S. will continue to soar.
The article originally appeared in the August 10 – 16, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
