Soccer edges past baseball to become America's third-favourite sport

Goal reports that, according to a recent survey from The Economist, soccer has overtaken baseball to become the United States' third-most popular sport, behind American football and basketball.

The Economist's survey lists American football as the most popular sport (the material shows it at about 36–37%), with basketball second at 17%. Soccer was named the favourite by 10% of Americans, narrowly ahead of baseball at 9%; ice hockey, tennis and boxing/MMA follow at 4%, 3% and 3% respectively, and golf at 2%.

The rise of the sport in the United States has been linked in the material to the growth of Major League Soccer: founded in 1993 as part of the country's commitment to hosting the 1994 World Cup, MLS launched its first season in 1996 and has expanded from 10 teams to 30 across the U.S. and Canada, alongside the arrival of global stars and increased investment in infrastructure and youth development.

Looking ahead, the material notes that MLS kicks off its 2026 campaign on Feb. 21, the NWSL's new season starts on March 13, and the 2026 World Cup gets underway on June 11.

Key Topics

Sports, Soccer, Baseball, American Football, Basketball, Major League Soccer