The origins of soccer date back to 206 BC, when the Han Dynasty in China played “cuju” — a game where players attempt to kick a ball to a target. In 1863, the English Football Association formalized the modern game of soccer, prompting its rise in popularity.

Although soccer is widespread in Europe and South America, it didn’t gain much attention in the U.S. until the late 20th century. In 1994, the U.S. hosted the World Cup for the first time. Two years later, Major League Soccer (MLS) was created to establish an elite level of professional soccer in America. These events contributed to expansive support of the U.S. men’s national team and developed a strong community around regional MLS teams.

Since then, soccer has become an increasingly popular sport in America, especially with youth clubs. These teams have grown consistently over the past decade, with the amount of youth players rising by 23% since 2018.

Today, soccer is one of the most played sports at the youth level in the U.S. In 2022, soccer was the second most popular sport among teenagers, passing baseball for the first time but remaining behind basketball. 

One of the leading factors causing soccer’s surge in popularity is its accessibility, exemplified by the sport’s simplicity, teamwork-building skills and minimal necessary equipment. Contrarily, other American sports like football and baseball require more equipment.

Sophomore and Whitman soccer player Callum Niyangoda discovered his love for the game through his peers.

“There are lots of people around my age who already play, so it’s an easy sport to get into,” Niyangoda said. “Being surrounded by great players my age motivates me to get better.”

Many sports can appeal to kids, but most don’t stick with them in the same way soccer does. Recently, soccer has kept more high school players in the game, mainly due to the emergence of club soccer at the teenage level. In 2009, the Elite Clubs National League was founded to provide a high-intensity soccer environment for girls. ECNL’s success caused it to add a boys league in 2017. The league attracts many scouts, feeding their players into college soccer. In 2020, MLS created MLS NEXT as the highest level of youth soccer for boys, providing exceptional players with a pathway to professional teams. 

Sophomore Elad Nahoom plays in ECNL with his club team, Potomac Soccer Association. Nahoom says he likes the versatility of the league’s competitive scheduling.

“The best part about ECNL is being able to play high school and high-level club soccer at the same time,” Nahoom said. “It’s something you don’t see in other leagues that are this competitive.”

Soccer is not only growing among the nation’s youth, but also gaining a larger American audience, partially due to the increase in viewership of televised European matches. The European soccer atmosphere provides a surreal environment that encourages fans, regardless of their nationality, to watch soccer, similar to the culture around American football. The 2024 European Championship, where European nations face off in a tournament played every four years, attracted an average of 1.7 million American viewers per game — a 25% increase from 2020. 

While Europe is the main hub for professional soccer, the U.S. is seeing an uptick in MLS players, most notably Lionel Messi. Messi turned down a $1.5 billion contract from Saudi Arabia and an opportunity to return to his home club of Barcelona to instead join Inter Miami, an MLS team. He reasoned that he wanted to “live football in another way.” Messi isn’t the only big-name player who has arrived in the MLS. Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez all followed Messi to Inter Miami, and Olivier Giroud, the top scorer for the French national team, recently joined the Los Angeles Football Club. Messi is widely considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and Busquets, Alba and Suarez all played with him at Barcelona, winning many trophies throughout their careers. 

America’s soccer success may reach new heights within the next couple of years. In 2026, the U.S., Canada and Mexico will host the World Cup, meaning the U.S. will be on soccer’s biggest stage for the first time since 1994. The passion this tournament ignites, along with the U.S.’s unprecedented rate of adoption of soccer, could bolster American youth participation in what’s often referred to as “the beautiful game.”