In many countries, football is not just a national sport but an obsession nurtured over decades.
That can’t be said about World Cup co-hosts USA where American sports have a longer history and dominate the media coverage, the sponsorship deals and the national conversation.
Soccer, as it’s known in the US, has made big strides in the country since it last hosted the men’s tournament in 1994. But it’s still some way behind women’s football, which is a global powerhouse and higher up the US sporting pecking order.
As the men’s team prepare to face Belgium on Monday evening for a place in the last eight, could they capitalise on this rare national spotlight to elevate the game to new heights of popularity – and muscle in on baseball, American football, basketball and ice hockey?
Americans are flocking to World Cup matches in every corner of the country, and celebrities and ardent football fans have been donning stars and stripes for the US Men’s National Team (USMNT).