New SFIA Research Highlights Growing U.S. Soccer Participation Before the World Cup
16.8M
outdoor soccer participants in 2025
15.8%
outdoor soccer 1-year growth
6.6M
indoor soccer participants in 2025
The world’s biggest soccer tournament is coming to the United States in 2026.
But what impact do World Cups actually have on participation?
Using 15 years of SFIA participation data, the Soccer Spotlight Report explores:
- How previous World Cups influenced participation
- Why 2026 conditions are different
- Which demographics are driving growth
- Whether casual players are converting into long-term participants
Download the Free Executive Summary
Get the key findings and topline insights from SFIA’s latest soccer participation research.
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Purchase the Full Report
Access the complete analysis, demographic breakdowns, and detailed participation tables.
Members: $150
Non-Members: $500
What’s Included in the U.S. Soccer Participation Full Report
✔ 15-Year Participation Analysis
Historical participation trends across indoor and outdoor soccer
✔ World Cup Impact Analysis
Detailed analysis of 2014, 2018, and 2022 participation patterns
✔ Demographic Deep Dives
Age, gender, ethnicity, income, and regional participation trends
✔ CORE vs Casual Analysis
Understanding long-term engagement and retention
✔ Data Appendix
Detailed participation tables for: CORE, Casual, Male/Female, Cross-sport participation, Participation Rates, and Demographic breakdowns
soccer participation rate peaks during the tournament
Indoor and outdoor soccer participation has climbed steadily over the past three years. In January 2023, roughly 6.7% of Americans reported participating in soccer. By June 2026, that figure has grown to 8.2%, representing approximately 25.5 million Americans playing indoor or outdoor soccer. During this year’s tournament, fandom appears to be translating to participation in real time.
World Cup Buzz Is Building
American interest in the World Cup has grown month over month in 2026. In February, 24.4% of the total population said they planned to follow the tournament. By May, that number had risen to 34.4% — more than one in three Americans. Among current soccer players, the excitement is even more striking: 79.8% plan to watch.
The Trusted Source for Soccer Participation Insights in the United States
SFIA is the leading authority on U.S. soccer participation data, providing accurate, independent insights that help the sports and fitness industry understand who is playing soccer, how participation is changing, and what those trends mean for the future of the sport.
Key Questions Explored in the Report
- Will World Cup interest convert into long-term participation?
- Is soccer becoming a lifelong sport in the U.S.?
- Which demographics are driving growth?
- Can infrastructure keep up with demand?
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