The USMNT’s heartbreaking 4-1 World Cup loss to Belgium has brought out a familiar debate yet again. Why hasn’t the United States become a soccer powerhouse? Many point fingers towards the country’s long-standing interest in sports like football or basketball, and baseball. However, that might not be the full truth.

A viral post from an Irish football fan argues that the biggest obstacle isn’t the lack of passion but the cost of playing the sport itself.

“Why can’t the USA have a dominant soccer team? Look how much it costs to play under-9 soccer for my local team. My parents didn’t pay even ten percent of this in total for 8 years of me playing as a kid in Ireland,” the fan wrote.

To back that claim, the fan even posted the official invoice, which showed that it costs around $3300 to make sure their kids play.

The cost of youth soccer in America has become one of the biggest talking points after the USA lacked quality against Belgium in the Round of 16. The biggest reason is the country’s pay-to-play system, where families fund almost every step themselves.  

Now, while recreational soccer still remains affordable, the cost rises when the players enter the competitive route. And well, club registration is only just the beginning. 

Families also have to budget for the uniforms, the tournament fees, the licensed coaching, the private training lessons, and player development programs. In larger cities, the expenses rise even more as teams travel more to face stronger competition.

 Plus, factor in travel, and that alone can rack up thousands of dollars over the span of a season. A single weekend tournament means long drives, hotel stays, meals, and other expenses. 

The gap between recreational and professional soccer is pretty substantial. Recreational soccer usually costs between $100 and $600 every year for most families.  But competitive travel soccer often ranges from $1,500 to $6,000 before the travel expenses. Elite leagues like ECNL and MLS NEXT can push yearly spending beyond $15,000 for families. 

Those numbers become easier to understand when looking at one family’s yearly soccer spending. Money.com found that families have to pay $330 as a club membership fee and then pay approximately $1,050 per year as a registration fee per child. 

Other than that, they will have to spend another $8,900 on travel, gear, and private training. For a family with 2 children, the cost will be around $10.000 per child. And this is just to be even considered in the team. 

That has put the pay-to-play structure under criticism many times.  

World Cup winners Briana Scurry and Hope Solo have both argued these costs shut talented players out too early. Expensive clubs often attract college coaches and national team scouts. This gives better opportunities for families that are willing to pay large amounts of money.  

This has left many skilled youngsters unable to choose soccer and choose a different path. And that is why we see many top athletes choose other sports over soccer, even though they did play soccer in their younger days.