The World Cup brought the world's most popular sport into American living rooms this summer. Whether it brings kids to your registration page is a different question, and a measurable one.
The size of the opportunity
A report from Youth Sports Business Report and Kinetica Group, published April 28, 2026, estimates that 5.3 million children ages 6 to 17 are interested in playing soccer but have not played in the past 12 months. Multiplying that by average annual soccer spending, the report puts the opportunity at $2.7 billion a year. If just 10% of those kids converted, that would be 530,000 new players and roughly $270 million in annual participation value.
- 5.3 millionkids ages 6 to 17 interested in soccer who have not played in the past 12 monthsYSBR and Kinetica Group, April 2026
- 530,000new players if just 10% of them converted (the report's scenario)YSBR and Kinetica Group, April 2026
- 41%of parents cite cost as the primary barrier to youth sports participationYSBR and Kinetica Group, April 2026
- 22% vs 43%of kids play sports in households earning under $25,000 vs over $100,000YSBR and Kinetica Group, April 2026
What the first weeks looked like in one market
In Tucson, RSL Tucson Youth Soccer director Billy Petty told KOLD that the club's numbers are “up probably 212% from about 800 kids to about roughly 2,400 and change.” He said registration growth has been building since the U.S. was awarded hosting rights in 2018, and that “it's the younger ages where parents are getting their kids involved in this game.” The Tucson Adult Soccer League said registration passed 1,000 players and that it expanded into 50-plus and 60-plus divisions. One market is an anecdote, not a national count, but it shows what the growth looks like at the club level.
The retention problem
Soccer is the sport that kids most often play first. But immediately, soccer starts losing them, as travel teams form and community leagues begin to wither.
The report also cites SFIA data showing that soccer's regular participation among kids ages 6 to 17 declined 3% from 2019 to 2024, even though soccer is the second most popular youth sport, played by 26.5% of kids and trailing only basketball at 36.8%. Cost is the most-cited barrier to youth sports overall.
If soccer costs money, millions of kids can't afford to play it.
How to be ready
These are our suggestions, not findings from the sources.
- Open registration early and say clearly what the season costs, since 41% of parents name cost as the primary barrier to youth sports.
- Build a first-time on-ramp: a short intro session or a lower-commitment option for kids who have never played.
- Use a waitlist instead of turning families away, and tell them when the next spot opens.
- Message every family from one place so a new family does not miss the start date.
Interest is not participation. The clubs that convert the World Cup bump will be the ones that make the first step cheap, clear and fast. Our soccer page shows how clubs run registration and schedules on Sketchplay, and the wider numbers are in our youth sports participation statistics.
Frequently asked questions
How many kids want to play soccer in the U.S.?
A report from Youth Sports Business Report and Kinetica Group estimates 5.3 million kids ages 6 to 17 are interested in playing soccer but have not played in the past 12 months.
Will the World Cup increase youth soccer registrations?
Early local reports, such as one Tucson club reporting its numbers up about 212% to roughly 2,400 kids, point to growth, but we did not find published national registration totals for 2026 in the sources we reviewed.
What is the biggest barrier to kids playing sports?
Cost is the most-cited barrier: 41% of parents cite it as the primary barrier to youth sports participation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica report.
How much could youth soccer grow?
The report's scenario is that converting just 10% of the 5.3 million interested kids would add 530,000 players and roughly $270 million in annual participation value.
