U.S. welcomes soccer fans from all over
The world’s top soccer teams are converging on the United States for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament will feature professional teams playing matches June 14–July 13. Millions of U.S. fans will see powerhouse teams like Chelsea and Real Madrid and will gear up to co-host the FIFA Men’s World Cup tournament of national teams in 2026.
The pair of top soccer tournaments — clubs in 2025 and national teams in 2026 — will attract billions of dollars in investment, thanks to the sport’s surging U.S. popularity.
The number of new U.S. soccer fans — those who began following the sport in a recent five-year period — increased 57%, according to a 2024 report from For Soccer (14.9MB).
What’s more, 14 million Americans play outdoor soccer recreationally.
FIFA’s Men’s World Cup, played in the U.S. in 1994, and Women’s World Cup, in 1999, sparked American soccer crazes. In fact, between 1990 and 2017, the number of Americans who name soccer as their favorite sport increased sevenfold. (Today, soccer is the fourth most popular sport in the U.S., behind football, basketball and baseball.)
This year’s Club World Cup convenes professional teams from around the world, including U.S.-fan favorites from the United Kingdom — like Chelsea, Manchester City — Real Madrid from Spain and the Italian club Juventus, which boasts American players Weston McKennie and Tim Weah on its roster.
Two U.S. teams — the Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami, led by Argentine star Lionel Messi — will compete in the tournament.
With 63 matches in 11 cities, the Club World Cup is expected to draw 3.7 million fans. Philadelphia will host a quarterfinal match on July 4, America’s Independence Day.
According to a joint FIFA-World Trade Organization study, the Club World Cup could support 105,000 U.S. jobs and generate $17.1 billion in economic impact.
The Club World Cup is just a warmup for 2026, when the U.S., Canada and Mexico host the FIFA Men’s World Cup, which pits national teams against each other. That tournament could bring as much as $30.5 billion in economic impact and create 185,000 U.S. jobs, according to a FIFA and World Trade Organization study.
The 2026 tournament typically attracts billions of television viewers worldwide. And with the U.S. co-hosting, it is expected to break the in-person attendance record set by the 3.6 million fans who attended games in 1994.
“This will be a once-in a lifetime opportunity to showcase the beauty and greatness of America,” President Trump said May 6, in speaking of preparations for both tournaments. “We can’t wait to welcome soccer fans from all over the globe.”