Growth of the Game

US Soccer by the Numbers

Sixteen years ago we proved the cynics wrong. The US not only hosted the FIFA World Cup™, we made it the most successful in history, leaving little doubt that our love for the game was real. The '94 FIFA World Cup™ still holds the record for the highest attendance in history, with an average draw of 69,000 fans per game and 3.6 million attendees overall.

How fast has the game grown since the watershed '94 FIFA World Cup™? Take a Look at the numbers and judge for yourself:

24.4 million – The US has the second largest number of players in the world with 24.4 million people and 4.1 million who are registered.
16.9 million – 16.9 million people in the US watched the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ Final. Viewers included 11.9 million on ABC and 5 million on Univision.
2.9 million – Growth in registered youth soccer players since 1974, according to U.S. Youth Soccer.
2 million – From June 20 to August 9, 2009, 101 top-flight matches will have taken place in the US, including heralded clubs like FC Barcelona, AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Club America and Real Madrid. 2 million fans across 26 cities are expected to attend "The Summer of Soccer."
6,000+ – Number of youth clubs and leagues in the United States, according to U.S. Youth Soccer.
18 – Expansion for MLS is around the corner. The league currently features 15 teams playing 30 regular season matches each, and will expand to 18 teams by 2011.
10 – Since 1999, 7 soccer-specific stadiums have been constructed, and by 2010 that number will increase to 10.
6 – The talent level of our national teams has grown tremendously. The US Men's National Team is on its way to qualifying for its sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup™, a feat only matched by nine other countries in FIFA's history.
1 – The US is quite literally the future of the game. With 3.9 million young people engaged with the game, the US tops the world in players at the youth level.