Whilst the USA may have asserted itself on football’s biggest stage over 20 years ago, by hosting the 1994 World Cup, the cultivation of a new sport has to begin at the grassroots. That said, having played second fiddle to both American Football and Baseball for many years, Major League Soccer as its known across the pond, is now more popular amongst 12 to 17 year olds than both Major League Baseball and NFL, with around 3 million kids playing in U.S. Youth Soccer leagues.
The seismic growth of the U.S. has been attributed to a number of factors, most notably an increase in lucrative TV deals attracting an ever growing number of international legends, such as Frank Lampard, David Villa and of course, the World’s most infamous #7, David Beckham.
With its ever increasing pipeline of youth leagues, state of the art facilities, and a young generation more excited than ever to play the sport, the U.S. is fast becoming one of the most desirable touring destinations for school teams of all ages and abilities.