New Docuseries 'Soccer Meets America' Explores U.S. Soccer's Rise Ahead of 2026 World Cup

LANGLEY, BRITISH COLUMBIA — APRIL 29: A detailed view of a soccer ball is seen before the Players Voice Panel Education Session as part of the 76th FIFA Congress on April 29, 2026 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

VANCOUVER, BC — With the 2026 FIFA World Cup just weeks away, a new three-part docuseries, Soccer Meets America, offers a deep dive into the history of soccer in the United States. Produced by SB Nation in collaboration with Vox Creative and Roku, the series traces the sport’s journey from its early days to its modern prominence.

The Evolution of U.S. Soccer

The history of American soccer spans over 120 years, yet comprehensive retrospectives have been rare—until now. Soccer Meets America focuses on the sport’s growth, from the North American Soccer League (NASL) of the 1970s and 1980s to the 1984 Olympics and the landmark 1994 World Cup hosted in the U.S. The series highlights the pivotal role of Alan Rothenberg, a central figure in U.S. soccer’s development.

Alan Rothenberg: Architect of Modern U.S. Soccer

Rothenberg served as:

• Soccer commissioner for the 1984 Olympics
• President of the U.S. Soccer Federation (1990–1998)
• CEO of the 1994 FIFA World Cup
• Key figure in the founding of Major League Soccer (MLS)
• Instrumental in adding women’s soccer to the Olympic program in 1996
• Organizer of the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the U.S.

Rothenberg’s new book, The Big Bounce: The Surge that Shaped the Future of U.S. Soccer, provides an insider’s perspective on the sport’s transformation. The book details his efforts to:

• Host a successful 1984 Olympic soccer tournament
• Secure the U.S. bid for the 1994 World Cup
• Strengthen the U.S. Soccer Federation
• Expand professional and international opportunities for American players

“[American soccer] sort of grew when I was starting in 1990. I had a glimpse of it back in the 70s when we had a team in Los Angeles, and obviously the Cosmos set the world on fire at that time with Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer…you had Giants Stadium. So there were those glimpses of what the future could hold. But as we started to build the soccer federation, our [1994] World Cup team and the World Cup organization, it just started to accelerate. So there wasn’t one ‘a-ha!’ moment.”
— Alan Rothenberg, former U.S. Soccer president and 1994 World Cup CEO

In a recent interview with USA Soccercast, Rothenberg emphasized that soccer’s rise in the U.S. was not the result of a single breakthrough but a gradual buildup of progress.

Why This Docuseries Matters Now

The timing of Soccer Meets America aligns with the upcoming 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The series serves as both a celebration of the past and a reflection on the future of soccer in North America. By examining the sport’s challenges and triumphs, it offers insights into how the U.S. became a global soccer powerhouse.