Young Americans More Excited About the Upcoming World Cup

With the UEFA Champions League final between Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain marking the official end of the European football season and the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup less than two weeks away, anticipation for one of the world’s largest sporting events is quickly building. At least outside the United States, that is.

Despite the U.S. hosting 78 of the 104 matches of the newly expanded World Cup, the upcoming tournament doesn’t dominate the headlines like it would in other countries, and excitement among Americans seems limited at best. According to a survey conducted by Statista Consumer Insights, less than half of U.S. adults plan to watch any matches during the five-week tournament, with just 14 percent of respondents intending to attend a match in-person.

The survey also reveals a clear generational divide in World Cup enthusiasm, as young Americans are significantly more inclined to watch or attend any games than their older compatriots. Just 30 percent of respondents aged 50 to 64 said they were planning to follow matches one way or the other, while 55 percent expect not to watch any games. This clearly mirrors the popularity of football/soccer in the U.S., which is bigger among those who grew up with the sport.