Players of United States stand during the national anthem prior to a Copa America Group C soccer match against Bolivia in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Andy Townsend, Republic of Ireland captain at the US 1994 World Cup, is confident there will be an ‘uptake’ in soccer in America following the conclusion of the 2026 edition – but he hopes it’s ‘sustainable’.
Townsend captained Ireland to the last-16 of the 1994 World Cup before they lost 2-0 to Netherlands, so has experience of playing soccer in America – where it’s far from the main sport.
And Townsend, formerly of Chelsea and Aston Villa in the Premier League, has delivered his verdict on if soccer will grow in the country after Mauricio Pochettino’s squad ‘went out on a whimper’ at the World Cup after their 4-1 defeat to Belgium.
Future of soccer in America
Townsend, speaking on behalf of CasinoHawks, said: “Sustainability is the key question. I think there’ll always be an uptake and a kick off the back of staging a tournament in the US. It’s whether they can maintain that and whether it can genuinely run alongside American football, basketball, and baseball.
“In Arlington, Dallas, I was right next to the stadium. I was based there for a month. The Texas Rangers play their baseball right next door to the stadium. There was also a huge big screen showing all the football and there were tons of fans watching it there. But on baseball nights, the arena was still jam-packed. So, look, it’s a process.
“Whatever happens, I don’t think it happens overnight. I think it does take a while, but in the fullness of time, I hope it stays. For the first American game against Paraguay, there was a giant screening in our hotel reception.
“They played well and won the game, but there was hardly anyone in there watching it. Then as the tournament went on, it became busier, particularly for the American national team. They gained some momentum in those early matches.
“All of a sudden, after a couple of the group games, the press were asking if the American team could win this World Cup. Unfortunately, they went out with a bit of a whimper, which is a shame.
“But I hope it’s sustainable. I’m sure the uptake with young boys and girls wanting to play football is massive here, but whether it’ll ever run alongside the big stuff here, I’m not so sure.”
