Walking around Manhattan ahead of the June 25 Copa America ♈group stage match between Lionel Messi-led Argentina an♔d Chile, it was hard to miss the sight of fans in soccer jerseys traver꧅sing the streets.
While the World Cup may stil🀅l be two years away, Copa America has brought an increased interest in soccer among New Yorkers — along with Euro 2024 taking place at the same time in Germany — and American soccer fans in general over the past few weeks.
MetLife Stadium 𓆉was sold out for Argentina’s clash with Chile and another fervent atmosphere is expected when Argentina returns on Tuesday to face Canada in the semifinals.
A sign that New Yorkers, in particular, have incr൲easingly taken to the “beautiful game” and the two international events could help bolster the spotlight on the region’s professional clubs and sports profile.
Soccer has seen a jump in interest across the country, with a 2023 study by Sports Innovation Lab indicating that roughly one-quarter of American sports fans showed an ⛦interest in the sport.
And the expectation is that Copa America coupled with the World Cup will only help those n🥃umbers grow.
“I believe there’s going to be a huge bounce off the 26 World Cup in North America,” GMR Marketing chief commercial officer Adam Lippard told The Post. “Without question, I think every governing body at all levels from the professional sports leagues to youth and amateur is going to feel the balanc🧔e of the men’s World Cup in ways that I’m not sure are entirely imaginable at this point. So it is a seminal moment for✨ the game.”
The 1994 World Cup that was hosted in the United States — Giants Stadium hosted seven games that tournament — proved to be a turning point f𒈔or the sport with Major League Soccer being founded in 1993 — as part of the country’s bid for the tournament — and launched in 1996.
New York now is home to two MLS clubs, the Red Bulls and New York City FC, which finally found a permanent home in Queens next༺ to Citi Field that’s expected to be finished in time for the 2027 MLS season.
Both clubs are also in the midst of strong seasons that have put NYCFC and the Red Bulls in playoff position, and the NWSL’s Gotham FC is coming off a championship run last season, helping to draw more awareness in ♑the area.
But international events have p𒆙layed a major part 🦄in the growth of the sport, with the 1994 World Cup even inspiring Red Bulls sporting director Julian de Guzman to want to play soccer professionally.
“I remember goinꦡg to Pontiac Stadium in ’94 watching Brazil versus Sweden. And that’s what inspired me to become a pro at the age of 13,” explained de Guzman, who had a 19-year playing career which included time in MLS. “I said that was the first time I came close to actual professional players in North America. … Just to be here right now and witnessing a Copa America again in the U.S., and all these stars a part of it, is special.”
For veteran New York soccer journalist Michael Lewis, the sport has arrived in the Uni༒ted States, noting the attention C✃opa America and even Euro 2024 have gotten and the knowledge of the European leagues like the Premier League or La Liga in Spain by American fans.
Bღut he a🏅cknowledged that the interest in the local teams is still limited.
“Whether or not they want to follow the local teams yet, I’m not certain,” Lewis said, noting that it may just be a matter of time. “I’ve always said I know they want a revolution, but I think you need an evolution. Things do cꦐhange, but they change slowly. … Things have changed dramatically no doubt about i🎐t.”
Lewis, who has covered soccer for 50 years, noted that most soccer fans yea༺rs ago would have ea🙈gerly signed up for two men’s and a women’s soccer team in New York.
“If you wou🅘ld have told me they would hꦕave had all these teams here and have such soccer all around I would have said where do I sign up?” he said.
For Lippard, part of the bat🌃tle for NYCFC, the Red Bulls and Gotham FC comes down to the competitiveness of ♏the market.
“I think it comes down to just the complexities of the marketplace. And the fact that there’s so much competitio⛄n for the sports and entertainment and the media dollar it’s related to that,” he said.
