The USMNT Is Winning Over More Than Soccer Fans
The knockout stage is where tournaments become defining moments.
As the U.S. Men's National Team prepares to face Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is a sense of cautious optimism surrounding this young squad. Supporters believe this team has the talent to make a deep run, but they also understand that knockout football leaves little room for error. One match can change everything.
Regardless of the outcome, one trend is already becoming clear: the audience surrounding the USMNT is expanding.
Using TelmarHelixa Discover's Conversation Monitor, we analyzed audiences actively discussing the USMNT throughout the World Cup. The data reveals that while soccer remains the catalyst, fans from across the American sports landscape are increasingly joining the conversation.
Soccer Is Becoming a Cross-Sport Conversation
Among people actively discussing the USMNT, we found strong affinities with fans of America's biggest professional sports leagues.
Top Non-Soccer League Affinities
🏒 NHL – 4.22x
⚾ MLB – 3.20x
🏀 NBA – 2.51x
🏈 NFL – 2.26x
The strongest crossover comes from NHL fans, who are more than four times as likely to engage with USMNT conversations. Like international soccer, hockey has long celebrated national pride and international competition, making the overlap a natural fit.
Baseball follows closely behind. MLB supporters continue to embrace the World Cup as part of the summer sports calendar, while NBA fans demonstrate how soccer is increasingly becoming part of broader sports and cultural conversations among younger, digitally engaged audiences.
Even NFL fans, traditionally the most dominant audience in American sports, are showing a meaningful connection to the USMNT. That suggests soccer is earning attention well beyond its traditional fan base.
For marketers, that represents an important shift. Major World Cup moments are no longer confined to soccer enthusiasts. They're becoming cultural events that attract fans from across the entire sports ecosystem.
Where USMNT Fans Are Following the Action
Understanding where supporters consume soccer content is just as valuable as understanding who they are.
While fans have more viewing options than ever before, several media brands have become clear destinations for the most engaged USMNT supporters.
Top Soccer Media Brands
⚽ NBC Sports Soccer – 11.25x
⚽ Fox Soccer – 10.24x
⚽ ESPN FC – 10.04x
These outlets have become the daily touchpoints for supporters looking for match analysis, breaking news, highlights, and tournament coverage. Their exceptionally high affinity demonstrates that engaged fans aren't simply watching matches—they're actively consuming soccer content throughout the tournament.
Streaming behavior tells a similar story.
Top Streaming Services Among USMNT Fans
📺 HBO Max – 1.28x
📺 Peacock – 1.17x
📺 Tubi – 0.93x
With rights spread across multiple broadcasters and platforms, fans are following the tournament wherever the action is available. Rather than relying on a single destination, today's soccer supporter is navigating a growing ecosystem of streaming services to stay connected.
What This Means for Brands
For marketers, the opportunity extends well beyond match-day advertising.
The USMNT audience represents passionate sports fans who consume content across multiple leagues, platforms, and media brands. They move fluidly between hockey, baseball, basketball, football, and soccer, while engaging with specialized soccer media throughout the tournament.
That creates opportunities for brands to build campaigns that extend beyond soccer itself. Understanding audience overlap enables marketers to reach consumers through the channels they already trust while aligning messaging around one of the biggest cultural moments in global sport.
As the United States prepares for its knockout stage showdown with Bosnia and Herzegovina, one thing is already certain.
The USMNT isn't just growing the game of soccer in America. It's bringing together fans from across the country's entire sports landscape.
And that's a victory that extends well beyond ninety minutes.
