When Was the Last Time the US Hosted the World Cup?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across 11 U.S. cities, plus Canada and Mexico, in June, but this isn’t the first time the soccer tournament has taken place on American soil. Some three decades ago, in 1994, the United States hosted the FIFA World Cup for the first time. Here’s a look at the historic event.

Although the U.S. was by no means a soccer powerhouse, it was chosen as the site of the 1994 World Cup. It marked the first time America would host a major men’s or women’s soccer tournament.

The 52 games of the 1994 World Cup, which began on June 17, were held in nine cities across the U.S.: Chicago; Dallas; East Rutherford, New Jersey; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Orlando, Florida; Pasadena and Stanford, both in California; Pontiac, Michigan; and Washington, D.C.

The four games at the Pontiac Silverdome were the first-ever indoor games played during a FIFA World Cup tournament. The final was hosted in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl on July 17, 1994.

For the first time, players entered the fields to a FIFA anthem in front of record-breaking crowds. The cumulative attendance of 3,587,538 broke the previous World Cup record by more than 1 million, according to U.S. Soccer. The average attendance per match, 68,991, was also a tournament high. And, all matches of the tournament were broadcast without commercial interruptions during gameplay—a first for soccer in the U.S.

The tournament was not without issues. Oprah Winfrey kicked off the festivities then promptly fell off the platform, and singer Diana Ross missed a staged penalty kick during her performance. Many games were played mid-afternoon to accommodate TV scheduling in other countries, causing hot temperatures for players and fans alike. During the U.S. vs. Romania match, the on-field temperature reached at least 120 degrees in the south end zone at the Rose Bowl, causing over 200 fans to seek first aid.

The U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) took on Switzerland in the first indoor World Cup game. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. Next, they faced Colombia, besting them 2-1, before losing to Romania 0-1. Even so, the USMNT advanced beyond the group stage. Ultimately, the USMNT couldn’t keep the momentum alive and lost to Brazil 0-1 in the round of 16, knocking the U.S. out of World Cup contention.

The scoreless final between Brazil and Italy went to penalty kicks, with Brazil winning 3-2 and becoming the first country to win the World Cup four times.

Because the United States wasn’t a soccer stronghold, like Brazil, Argentina or Spain, some people were hesitant for the tournament to be held there. In fact, when the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994, the MLS was just an idea. The previous American professional league, the North American Soccer League, had folded after the 1984 season. FIFA was even concerned about getting the appropriate grass surface to cover turf on the football fields used for play.

Nonetheless, the tournament boasted record-breaking attendance and instilled new excitement in Americans about soccer. The MLS emerged two years later and remains the longest-lasting professional men’s soccer league in the U.S. Having started with 10 teams, it’s now home to 30 clubs.

The U.S. has hosted the FIFA Women’s World Cup twice. The first time was in 1999. In the final, again held at the Rose Bowl, the U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) defeated China in a 5-4 penalty kick shootout.

The second Women’s World Cup in the U.S. came in 2003. Despite having made a formal bid to host that year, the U.S. lost out to China. But then health risks from a SARS outbreak in China caused FIFA to pause the draw and ultimately relocate the tournament to America. The USWNT ended third in the 2003 competition, and Germany defeated Sweden for the win in Carson, California.