Soccer fandom in the U.S. is gaining momentum in anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™. And with this growing audience, brand sponsors and advertisers need to understand who these fans are and how they’re engaging to capitalize on this rising popularity.
The tournament is set to significantly boost soccer’s popularity, with 37% of the general population expecting their interest in the sport to increase over the next 18 months.1 Currently, 74% of dedicated current World Cup fans also foresee their interest growing even further. But most notably, Hispanic communities and younger audiences are leading the way in driving soccer’s over popularity and engagement.2
Where to engage with fans
There’s a significant opportunity for in-person engagement and localized activations with 25% of World Cup fans planning to attend the games.3 Fans attending games in host cities also intend to engage in a variety of activities beyond just the matches themselves, indicating an interest in a broader festival atmosphere and exploring local culture and attractions.
This data highlights a strong inclination among U.S. World Cup fans to immerse themselves fully in the event, both inside and outside the stadiums.
And for those not attending the games, 67% of U.S. World Cup fans and 30% of the U.S. general population plan on watching full games, further underscoring significant engagement opportunities outside of the in person action.4
Connecting on digital platforms
What fans are interested in
Similarly to in-person attendees for the games, World Cup fans in general demonstrate a strong inclination towards cultural experiences.
A significant 71% are interested in attending music concerts, compared to just 57% of the general population.5 This interest is even more pronounced among Hispanic World Cup fans, with 76% expressing interest in live music.6 Similarly, 69% of World Cup fans are interested in arts and culture (vs. 52% general population), a figure that jumps to 78% for Hispanic World Cup fans, indicating a strong overall overindex compared to the general population in both areas.7 Hispanic fans also show a strong interest in team merchandise as they are more than two times as likely to have purchased Major League Soccer or team gear in the past 12 months than the total U.S. population.8
It’s also important for brands to know perceptions and attitudes of their fans—and U.S. soccer fans are leaning in. Soccer fans overall, compared with NBA, MLB and NFL fans, are more responsive to choosing brand sponsored products, care more about social engagement, stay informed about brand sponsors and buy more sponsored products after watching a game.
There’s also several standout areas for what U.S.-based World Cup fans are interested in compared to the general population.
- Investment — Overall U.S. World Cup fans are 78% more likely to be interested in cryptocurrency and 55% more likely to be interested in stocks.
- Social themes — 52% of World Cup fans and 63% of Hispanic fans are more likely to be interested in social causes and themes.
- Entertainment — 38% of World Cup fans and 49% of Hispanic fans are more likely to be interested in video games or mobile games.9
Prepare to kick off 2026
The soccer fandom in the U.S. is buzzing, bringing passion and excitement as the FIFA World Cup 2026™ draws closer in June 2026. Do you have a plan in place to take advantage of this momentous cultural moment? Get advanced insight data into the soccer fandom to get ahead of the game with our 2026 Soccer Fan Insights.
For more soccer and sports sponsorship trends, our 2025 Global Sports Report and 2025 Hispanic DIS Report have further soccer trends and insights to support your brand strategies ahead of the big tournament and beyond.
Notes:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 Nielsen Fan Insights (April-June 2025)
8 Scarborough USA+ 2025 Release 1 Total (Jan 2024-May 2025)
