A new study conducted by Performance Research, in partnership with Full Circle Research, found that 75 percent of Americans plan to follow the upcoming men’s FIFA World Cup in some capacity in 2026, with interest highest among younger, urban fans and families.
The poll of 2,000 U.S. adults showed that 48 percent of respondents expect to be more engaged in the 2026 event, being held in North America, than in the 2022 tournament, which was played in Qatar.
Other findings from the survey:
- Engagement is strongest in host markets, with 42 percent of city residents planning to watch heavily, compared to 22 percent in suburban areas and just 16 percent in rural communities.
- Families are a major driver: 43 percent of respondents with kids under age 16 said they will watch “a lot,” compared with 17 percent of households without kids.
- Hardcore engagement remains limited, with just 26 percent of respondents saying they plan to watch “a lot” of matches. That number climbs significantly among Millennials, where 37 percent expect to follow closely.
- There is a real appetite to attend, with 63 percent of interested fans at least somewhat likely to go to a match.
- Cost looms as the biggest barrier: 57 percent cite ticket prices as a concern, and most are unwilling to pay more than $250-$500 per ticket.
- Only one-third of those surveyed raised security as a concern.
Jed Pearsall, president of Performance Research, said, “These findings suggest that while interest in attending is broad, actual attendance may skew toward higher-income and highly engaged fans, with many others opting for at-home or public viewing experiences.”
Image courtesy U.S. Soccer
