Football is traditionally a minority discipline in the US, well behind the likes of basketball and baseball in the sporting pecking order, but the ongoing World Cup in Brazil has seen higher levels of support than ever before.

This was reflected in television viewing figures in excess of 20 million, the highest ever recorded for a football match in the country, as well the wider public support.

It was epitomised by the reaction to the US team's heartbreaking 2-1 extra time defeat to Belgium at the last 16 stage of the competition on Tuesday (July 1), where crowds gathered throughout the country to watch the team amid a strong reaction on social media.

Following the loss, FIFA head Sepp Blatter and secretary general Valcke were among officials to express their support. 

US President Barack Obama has been another high profile supporter of the US football team in recent weeks ©Twitter






Speaking to Brazilian newspaper Globo, Valcke explained how the governing body wish to work alongside US Soccer to consider a possible bid. 

"What we see in the United States is staggering," he added.

"The audience is unprecedented, more than the National Basketball Association.

"The country has the largest level of youth soccer in the world, with 20 million young people playing.

"There is a commitment from FIFA to work with US Soccer and I think after 2022, they have an interest in hosting the 2026 World Cup."

Speaking more generally, Blatter described the "level of interest in the US" as very high, before insisting that "this World Cup is really getting under people's skin and the quality of the football is incredible". 

The World Cup has only been held on US soil once before, in 1994 ©Getty Images




If a successful bid is launched, the World Cup would take place 32 years after the US last hosted the world's largest sporting event, in 1994. 

Although the event was the highest attended in World Cup history, with average attendances of nearly 69,000, the support was not considered particularly passionate and it did not lead to any long term upturn in fortunes for the sport. 

But given the recent surge in popularity, a better supported event could be expected in 2026. 

US Soccer President Sunil Gulati, also a member of the FIFA Executive Committee, has previously said the US could bid to host the 2026 tournament, but only if bidding rules change.

But speaking in the aftermath of the defeat to Belgium, Gulati also spoke positively about the "progress on and off the field" in the US, especially when you "think about the number of people at home who were paying attention". 

The US also bid unsuccessfully for the 2022 edition which was controversially awarded to Qatar amid various corruption allegations, with this being one factor which could ward the US off their potential bid.

Qatar beat the US by 14 votes to eight in the final round.

Another concern could be the fact that a US city is likely to bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, with these Games to be held only two years before the World Cup.

This is certainly something that has caused the 2014 FIFA World Cup hosts Brazil problems, just two years ahead of the Olympics taking place in Rio de Janeiro, although given the economic and geographical size of the US, this should be less of a problem. 

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