​Multiple things can be true at once. American interest in this World Cup is probably higher than it’s ever been for any prior tournament. Fox Sports is riding a wave of excitement, thrilled with the viewership and engagement they’ve built up to this point. Soccer, in a broad sense, seems to be having a moment, even if unofficially so. Yet measuring a sport’s ultimate popularity by its peak moments may just invite a dramatic drop when the buzz fades.
Hours before Spain and Belgium faced off for a semifinal berth, Colin Cowherd weighed in on the sport’s current state. “USA-Belgium drew over 50 million viewers,” he pointed out. “Right now, soccer is the cool club. The numbers tell you that.” It’s a Super Bowl-caliber night, to be sure. But it’s also a single night, and even the most ardent advocates of the game must acknowledge a stark reality ahead. If you look ahead, you can forecast that a new generation has been inspired to play, and the explosive growth that has seemed imminent for decades might appear just around the next corner. The truth is, we don’t really know what comes next.
If Cowherd wants to claim soccer is cool, I won’t argue with him. Kids are indeed into the World Cup. I have three of my own, and if you think there’s much object permanence in play here, think again. They’re into it right now. That enthusiasm doesn’t automatically translate to four years from now, or four months, or even four weeks.
This comes from someone who would love to see soccer become more popular in the United States and who hopes to see the U.S. men’s national team mount a serious World Cup challenge. I’m not casting any negative light on the sport. Fifty million viewers is an extraordinary figure. It’s also a single data point that fights against decades of data suggesting these exciting spikes don’t tend to last long.
We’ll know soccer has truly broken through when people stop arguing about whether it has or will. It’s one of the most recycled topics in sports discourse. Mark my words: the same conversation we’re having now will probably recur four years from today. It’s been a cool stretch lately, though, and there’s potential for lasting momentum, even if the path forward remains murky.