Soccer is by far the most popular sport on the planet. But which country has the best team? Every four years, that question is answered at the FIFA World Cup. It’s the ultimate stage for the sport’s greatest players, as well as a launching pad for the next generation of stars. The Olympic Games are the only sporting event that comes close to attracting as many viewers.

This year, for the first time, three countries will host the World Cup: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Teams representing 48 nations are scheduled to take part in the six-week tournament, which kicks off on June 11. Billions of fans from around the world will be watching. 

The World Cup is returning to the U.S. after 32 years. The excitement around the 1994 tournament supercharged Americans’ interest in soccer. Will this year’s World Cup have the same effect?

Soccer is the most popular sport on the planet. But which country has the best team? Every four years, that question is answered at the FIFA World Cup. It’s the biggest stage for soccer’s best players. It’s also where the next generation of stars get to shine. The Olympic Games are the only sporting event that comes close to having as many viewers.

This year, the United States, Canada, and Mexico will host the World Cup. It’s the first time three countries are hosting. Teams representing 48 nations are planning to take part. The six-week tournament kicks off on June 11. Billions of fans around the world will be watching. 

The World Cup is coming back to the U.S. after 32 years. The 1994 tournament supercharged Americans’ interest in soccer. Will this year’s World Cup have the same effect?

The 1994 World Cup also helped spark a soccer boom among kids. From 1990 to 2010, the number of youth players in programs run by U.S. Soccer nearly doubled. The players on this year’s World Cup team got their start during that boom. 

Take Chris Richards, who was named the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. He remembers what appealed to him about soccer as a kid in Alabama. 

“It was a chance to be active and also meet kids around my community,” he says. 

Growing up in New York and Florida, Timothy Weah learned the game from a soccer legend: his father. George Weah was named the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995. But he never got to compete in a World Cup. His home country, the African nation of Liberia, didn’t qualify for the tournament while he was a player. This year, George plans to be in the stands rooting for Timothy and his teammates. 

“It’s an immense source of pride,” Timothy told reporters at a press conference in December. “You don’t get the chance to play a World Cup at home every day.”

Weah’s teammate Tim Ream remembers watching the 1994 World Cup as a 6-year-old in St. Louis, Missouri. 

“As young players, we all had dreams of playing for the U.S.A.,” he says. “Now as a team, we get to inspire kids who have similar goals and dreams.”

The 1994 World Cup also led to a soccer boom among kids. From 1990 to 2010, the number of kids in programs run by U.S. Soccer nearly doubled. The players on this year’s World Cup team got their start during that time. 

Take Chris Richards. He was named the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year. He remembers what he liked about soccer as a kid in Alabama. 

“It was a chance to be active and also meet kids around my community,” he says.

Timothy Weah grew up in New York and Florida. He learned the game from a soccer legend: his father, George Weah. George was the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1995. But he never got to play in a World Cup. His home country, the African nation of Liberia, didn’t qualify for the event while he was a player. This year, George plans to root for Timothy and his teammates. 

“It’s an immense source of pride,” Timothy told reporters at a press conference in December. “You don’t get the chance to play a World Cup at home every day.”

Weah’s teammate Tim Ream remembers watching the 1994 World Cup. He was a 6-year-old in St. Louis, Missouri. 

“As young players, we all had dreams of playing for the U.S.A.,” he says. “Now as a team, we get to inspire kids who have similar goals and dreams.”