TV · Radio · Podcasts
← Planet Money

Can World Cup mania grow MLS in the U.S.?

NPR· Jul 17, 2026· 26m 7s

As the World Cup comes to a close, so does a massive real-time experiment happening just around the edges. Major League Soccer – the top men’s professional soccer league in the U.S. and Canada – has been scrambling to take advantage of this once-in-a-generation opportunity when average American sports fans suddenly cared a lot about soccer. In between World Cup matches, NPR Sports Correspondent Becky Sullivan has been following Major League Soccer executives as they try to figure out how best to

Now playing

Can World Cup mania grow MLS in the U.S.?

🇬🇧English→🇬🇧English
Sample transcript — click Live captions above to run Whisper on the actual audio in your browser.

  1. Welcome to the program. I'm your host.

    Welcome to the program. I'm your host.

    0:00

  2. Today we look at the major stories shaping the news cycle.

    Today we look at the major stories shaping the news cycle.

    0:04

  3. We start in Europe, where leaders met in Brussels.

    We start in Europe, where leaders met in Brussels.

    0:09

  4. The summit focused on energy policy and migration.

    The summit focused on energy policy and migration.

    0:14

  5. Reporting from the ground, our correspondent has more.

    Reporting from the ground, our correspondent has more.

    0:19

  6. Thank you. The mood here was tense but constructive.

    Thank you. The mood here was tense but constructive.

    0:24