A record-breaking tournament

The 1994 World Cup in the United States remains the best-attended in history by average crowd, drawing more than 3.5 million spectators in total — a per-match average that has never been beaten, even by later tournaments with more games.

The birth of MLS

A condition of hosting in 1994 was the creation of a professional league, and Major League Soccer kicked off in 1996. Three decades on, MLS has grown into a continent-spanning competition that has helped reshape the American sporting landscape.

• Average attendance: a record that still stands
• Legacy: Major League Soccer launched in 1996
• 1994 champions: Brazil, their fourth title

From 1994 to 2026

The 1994 finals proved the United States could stage a World Cup on a grand scale. In 2026 the country returns as a co-host with Canada and Mexico — a far larger event built on the foundations that the summer of 1994 first laid.