Soccer Overtakes Baseball as America's New Favorite Sport in Stunning Upset

The 2026 FIFA World Cup arrives in the United States at an ideal moment for soccer, as the sport has allegedly surpassed baseball to become the third-most favored among Americans, ranking behind only football and basketball.

Soccer's ascent, based on a recent study by The Economist, stems partly from Major League Soccer's ongoing expansion, the sustained excellence of the U.S. women's national team, and America's economic power as a marketplace for Europe's top four leagues. 

The study prompted American sports enthusiasts to identify their top favorite sport, with 10% now choosing soccer, enabling it to eclipse baseball, which garnered only 9% of responses. American football dominated with 36%, maintaining a substantial advantage over basketball in second place at 17%. 

Additional sports listed beneath soccer include ice hockey, tennis, boxing and MMA, plus golf, each capturing 4% or fewer votes.

Within the report, Daniel Monaghan from Ampere noted that soccer's growing fanbase in America stems not just from MLS teams and other domestic professional leagues, but also from access to global competitions, enhancing the sport's appeal compared to American-centered sports focused on single leagues. 

Simultaneously, soccer has emerged as the primary driver in the fragmented broadcast media-rights landscape, as modern streaming services compete with conventional linear television networks. While the NFL and NBA face similar challenges, following soccer in America can demand more than five subscriptions to track domestic games, premier European leagues, and international tournaments. 

With the 2026 World Cup scheduled for joint hosting across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, soccer will likely gain additional traction, particularly if the host countries achieve remarkable and inspiring deep tournament runs. 

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