The 1994 World Cup may be the defining moment in modern American soccer.
To secure the hosting rights, the U.S. Soccer federation promised to help get a men’s professional soccer league off the ground, and the genesis of Major League Soccer was the result. Three decades later, it’s impossible to quantify just how far the sport has come in this country – something that wouldn’t have been possible without the World Cup.
Now, in 2026, the USL is hoping to achieve its own post-World Cup coup. The organization has touted big reforms like promotion and relegation and the addition of a new first-tier league, echoing the big swings of the 1990s. The difference? Where MLS had an open runway to monopolize the nascent domestic soccer conversation, the USL faces a far more crowded environment.
The USL, though, isn’t interested in a World Cup blitz. When reached by Backheeled for a statement about the organization’s attempt to capitalize on the World Cup, the USL said this:
The World Cup is here. So is our biggest discount ever.
The World Cup is creating unprecedented attention around soccer in the United States, and for us the opportunity is to connect that interest to the clubs, communities, and pathways that exist year-round.
Rather than treating the tournament as a standalone marketing moment, we're focused on telling authentic stories that demonstrate the role the USL plays throughout the game -- from players, coaches, referees, and broadcasters who have come through our system to the local clubs that give fans a connection to the sport in their own communities.
The World Cup may introduce people to soccer, but the USL gives fans a local club, a year-round community, and a reason to stay connected after the tournament ends. We believe the biggest opportunity begins in the months that follow the tournament, when millions of people are looking for ways to continue engaging with the sport. That's where the USL's presence in more than 200 communities across the country becomes especially meaningful.
