For years, the big three in American sports have been football, basketball, and baseball. But it seems there might be a usurper in the mix, because while FIFA has regularly come under fire for its unpopular decisions ahead of this summer’s World Cup, soccer itself has only been trending upward, into uncharted waters.

A new survey per The Economist shows that soccer has climbed to third place in the list of favorite sports in the U.S. 10% of Americans now name soccer as their favorite sport. Baseball sits just below 10%, which means soccer has passed it in personal preference for the first time ever.

While football reigns supreme, hogging 30% of the vote share, followed by basketball with 18%, the real story is soccer’s quiet rise in the American public consciousness, marking a significant cultural turning point.

To understand how big this change is, we need to look back. In 2006, only 4% of Americans called soccer their favorite sport. Back then, 34% chose football, 14% chose basketball, and 13% chose baseball in a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. Soccer lagged far behind, mostly followed by Hispanic fans.

Going further back into history, baseball once held the crown. Gallup polling from the 1960s regularly revealed baseball as America’s most loved sport, often picked more than football. However, in 1972, football surpassed it and has remained the leader over the last 50 years. Baseball has continued to falter in the polls, to the point where it may soon be definitively surpassed by soccer.

This moment came to be over the course of the 2020s. Younger generations were exposed to global leagues through the Internet. Social media served to make the goals, celebrations, and star players a topic of everyday discussions. Global soccer leagues, like the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga, began to enter American streaming platforms, giving fans an easier way of keeping up with games.

Not to mention, the arrival of Lionel Messi to the MLS has only boosted interest in the sport, along with the upcoming World Cup and NWSL.

As for the World Cup, casual fans were making plans to watch matches months before tickets went on sale. But with the anticipation came new challenges that soon dominated the headlines.

FIFA prices sparked global backlash

When FIFA first revealed its dynamic pricing model for the 2026 World Cup, fans around the world were left feeling betrayed. Early public promises during the bid process talked about tickets starting from as low as $21 for some group matches. Instead, when price details began circulating in late 2025 through national football associations and public sales, fans were shocked by how expensive many seats actually were.

Some basic tickets, such as for group stage matches, were priced between $140 and $2,735, with the final priced from $4,185 to $8,680. Such shock was significantly higher than in recent editions – final tickets at Qatar 2022 were about $1600.

The prices were labeled outrageous by many and a “monumental betrayal of the traditions” of the World Cup. Some even urged FIFA to halt all ticket sales.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the prices, stating that the ticket request was “unprecedented” and that the millions of requests indicated that there was extraordinary interest in the sport and event despite the outcry.

Following worldwide criticism, FIFA introduced a new “Supporter Entry Tier” with tickets costing around $60 a match, also for the final. The additional category was welcomed, but only a handful of seats belong to this tier. Reports suggest it represents 1.6% of the total stadium capacity. The majority of fans will still be paying high prices for normal seats.

Fans want access to the biggest football event in the world, but many feel the door is getting harder to open.