FIFA president Gianni Infantino is bullish on the future of soccer in the United States.
Despite the underwhelming attendance across much of the FIFA Club World Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup this summer, Infantino praised the future of the game in North America on Sunday, saying it has the potential to become the “No. 1 sport here in America.”
Speaking at Fanatics Fest in New York City, Infantino shared his thoughts on the future of the game at the international and club level, touching on the growth to come from FIFA World Cup 2026 and through the continued rise of MLS.
“Three to four, maximum five years…, [soccer and MLS] will be top, top, top. One of the top leagues in the world, for sure,” Infantino said. “And I can tell you why — because now I’m here.”
While soccer’s following and MLS have continuously grown since the league’s launch following the 1994 World Cup, the league still trails behind the more traditionally American professional sports, such as the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL, even with MLS having the third-highest average attendance per match, largely due to stadium size and ticket pricing.
