21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S.

Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

Sponsored by Isos
Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

03.23.2023

Soccer in the United States is hotter and more popular than ever.

That isn’t opinion. It’s fact.

Driven by a young, diverse and digitally savvy demographic, soccer has grown by
leaps and bounds since the 1994 FIFA World Cup was held on U.S. soil and Major
League Soccer (MLS) was born two years later. The world’s most popular sport is
expected to continue its upward trajectory with this summer’s FIFA Women’s World
Cup in Australia/New Zealand as well as the 2024 Copa America and 2026 FIFA
World Cup coming to North America.

While pickleball prides itself on being the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., soccer has
a much higher ceiling and opportunity to shape the landscape of sports participation,
viewership, engagement and consumption in this country.

“With a seemingly endless amount of sports content and programming available

these days within seconds at your fingertips, you can’t argue with the data—
everything from viewership to attendance, engagement and merchandise sales—that
soccer is becoming immensely more popular in the United States, especially among
Gen Z and Generation Alpha,” said Michelle Wilson, Isos Capital founder and co-CEO.
“It’s time for brands, investors and organizations to continue to stoke this fire that is

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 1/8
21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

poised to turn into a roaring blaze with three major events on the horizon, including
two occurring in our own backyard.”

Soccer fans are younger and more diverse than general sports fans in the United
States, according to Morning Consult. More than half (54%) of the respondents who
identified as soccer fans were under the age of 45, compared to NBA (51%), NFL
(46%) and MLB (43%). MLS says it boasts the youngest fan base of any men’s pro
league in the country.

FJ Y Y 7 R S X K AY R 6 A F

Photo courtesy of Austin FC

Not only are U.S. soccer fans younger, but they’re also more culturally diverse, with
40% being fans of color, per Morning Consult. MLS reports approximately 30% of its
fans are Hispanic or Latino.

That isn’t only true for domestic soccer in the U.S. A 2020 study by Equation
Research identified 60 million fans of the Mexican National Team in the U.S., making
El Tri the most popular national team in the country. Liga MX, Mexico’s top domestic
league, nearly doubled the average U.S. viewership of MLS matches during the 2021
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 2/8
21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

season, while the rivalry and relationship between the neighboring MLS and Liga MX
expands further this season with the introduction of the interleague Leagues Cup.

Already boasting the second-largest Spanish-speaking population on the planet

behind Mexico—currently 13% of the U.S. population speaks Spanish at home, and
estimates are that by 2050 one in three people in the country will speak Spanish—
soccer’s popularity is expected to further increase.

As consumers, Latinos in the U.S. currently represent a $1 trillion market, and their
spending power is rising—6% compounded annual growth in the last decade,
compared to 3% for the non-Latino white population.

M I C R O S O F T T E A M S - I M AG E ( 2 )

“Latinos are becoming more influential consumers in the United States and many
brands, organizations and leagues are benefitting from that with soccer benefitting
the most,” Isos Capital founder and co-CEO George Barrios said. “It will be important
to continue to find innovative ways to engage fans on both sides of the MLS vs. Liga
MX coin because success for both, in a way, is dependent on the other. A rising tide
lifts all boats and we’re seeing it throughout the U.S. when it comes to soccer,
whether it’s the success and growth of the MLS, NWSL, U.S. men’s and women’s
national teams, Liga MX or European clubs.”

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 3/8
21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

The proof is in the data.

Both MLS and NWSL posted record attendance figures in 2022, with MLS welcoming
more than 10 million fans, while the NWSL, which kicked off almost two decades later
in 2013, eclipsing the 1 million mark for the first time. MLS continued its record-setting
figures when the 2023 season recently kicked off as Atlanta United FC and Charlotte
FC became the first two clubs in league history to have an attendance of 65,000+ on
the same day, while the league welcomed a record 380,000+ fans opening weekend.

Coming off the heels of its 10th anniversary, the NWSL begins its 2023 campaign
more popular than ever. The 2022 NWSL Championship Game was the most-watched
game in league history, averaging 915,000 viewers on CBS network in prime time—a
71% increase from the prior year’s title game. National sponsorship revenue increased
87% in 2022 from the previous season, while viewership on Paramount+ jumped by
nearly 30%. The league is also buoyed by a recent deal with Electronic Arts, which
sees all 12 NWSL clubs included in the EA Sports FIFA 23 video game for the first
time.

The NWSL, which is reportedly adding three franchises for the 2024 season at a price
between $50-60 million, welcomed Racing Louisville FC, San Diego Wave FC and
Angel City FC to the fold over the past two years, with the latter club, backed by a
who’s who list of celebrity and athlete investors and owners fitting for Hollywood,
poised to become the first women's team with a billion-dollar valuation.

Angel City FC isn’t the only NWSL franchise benefiting from increased investment,
especially from big-name backers. Gotham FC welcomed Carli Lloyd, Kevin Durant,
Sue Bird and Eli Manning to the club’s ownership group in 2022. Oscar De La Hoya
and James Harden are investors in the Houston Dash. Naomi Osaka bought a
minority investment in the North Carolina Courage in 2019. Jenna Bush Hager,
Chelsea Clinton and Dominique Dawes are minority investors in the Washington
Spirit. Patrick and Brittany Mahomes are part of the Kansas City Current ownership
group.

MLS, which has tripled the number of its teams since 2004, has seen average club
valuations rise 85% to $579 million since 2019 with LAFC valued at $1 billion,
according to Forbes.
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 4/8
21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

Coupled with the success of the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams—the USWNT
have a record four FIFA World Cup titles—as well as many top American men’s and
women’s players playing at premier clubs domestically and abroad, soccer continues
to flourish with all eyes firmly fixated on the 2026 FIFA World Cup coming to the
continent.

M I C R O S O F T T E A M S - I M AG E ( 1 )

At the youth level, more than 810,000 players at the high school level played soccer
during the 2021-22 school year.

Highlighted by MLS’ new 10-year, $2.5 billion global rights deal with Apple and the
NWSL’s soon-to-be-announced new deal after its current $4.5 million deal with CBS
(and an additional $1 million with Twitch) is set to expire after the 2023 season,
audiences, sponsors and leagues are well aware of the exponential growth and
importance of the beautiful game in the U.S.

Given the growth already experienced in the MLS and NWSL coupled with the rising
Latino soccer fan base in the U.S., the upside of team values, league values and
soccer-adjacent businesses is significant, putting investors and stakeholders alike on
notice.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 5/8
21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

Isos

SPONSORED CONTENT

Betting on the growth of women’s sports

by RBC

Technology: The challenge of building the right solution for your venue
by MSB Consulting Engineers

Reach the Decision-Makers of Sports

ADDITIONAL SECTIONS

• Media

• Tech

• Executive Transactions

• Marketing

• International

• Data

• Franchises

• Esports

• Betting

• Colleges

• Facilities

• Events and Attractions

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 6/8
21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

• Finance

• Labor and Agents

• Leagues and Governing Bodies

• Olympics

• Opinion

• People and Pop Culture

• Sports and Society

PODCASTS

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: February 21, 2025

February 21, 2025

00:00 11:00

“Court of Gold” director Jake Rogal, Box-to-Box’s Paul Martin and dropping the
gloves on Presidents Day weekend viewership
February 20, 2025

SBJ TV

How to watch "SBJ Inside the Industry"

January 26, 2025

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 7/8
21/2/25, 11:10 a.m. Soccer’s Growth in the U.S. Driven by Young, Diverse Audiences

SBJ Inside the Industry explainer 

WATCH
January 26, 2025

SBJ 2024 In Review 

WATCH
January 09, 2025

   
Become an industry insider

SUBSCRIBE NOW

DAILY ISSUES

WEEKLY ISSUES

NEWSLETTERS

EDITIONS

PODCASTS/TV

ALL TOPICS

SPONSORED CONTENT

EVENTS

PROPERTIES

COMPANY

© 2024 Leaders Group. All rights reserved.

The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used,
except with the prior written permission of Leaders Group.

Privacy Policy User Agreement Cookie Settings Ad Choices

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Native/Isos/2023/March/ 8/8