Football, or “soccer,” as the Americans call it, has long had to compete with the much more popular American football in the USA, but this has changed in recent years. Premier League football is now one of the most watched sports in the US, and many Premier League teams, such as Chelsea, Arsenal and Fulham FC, enjoy huge popularity and a dedicated fan base across the country. This year, a pre-season tournament is planned to take place in various cities across the USA to consolidate this popularity.

Popularity football increased in recent years in the USA

The game of football as we know it today has been the most popular sport in Europe for a long time, and the love of the team often spans generations. In the USA, however, the love of football has lagged behind. After all, American football is the number one sport in America, and soccer does not have a huge audience in the United States. But that has changed in recent years. Since its inception in 1993, Major League Soccer (MLS) has become increasingly competitive and popular on the international stage, and the men’s national team has reached the knockout stages of the World Cup five times and the Confederations Cup six times. The success of the US men’s national team has led to a wave of new football fans actively following the American MLS and American football teams. As of 2021, soccer is now the second-most watched sport in the US after American football, especially among younger viewers. The MLS has also seen a 27% increase in viewership, both online and in person. Between 2012 and 2017, the MLS saw an average increase of 6,000 spectators per match. Even though the men’s US football team only reached the Round of 16 during the World Cup in Qatar last year, there are high hopes of the US seeing victory on the world stage as they are hosting the World Cup in 2026, together with Canada and Mexico.

Premier League most watched international tournament in the USA

Even though football in general has seen an increase in viewers in the United States, the Premier League in particular has seen an increase in popularity in the country. One reason for this is the broadcasting rights that US broadcasters have with the English Premier League. Since 2015, when NBC secured exclusive broadcasting rights to the Premier League, viewership has increased by an estimated 20% in the United States. Furthermore, there has been a lot of interest in Premier League football. In recent years, several US football players have left Major League Soccer to try their luck in Europe, where the standards of the game are relatively higher than in the USA.

Because of their long history, rivalry, and loyal fan base passed down from father to son, mother to daughter, Premier League teams are slightly more popular than MLS teams in the US. The love of the game runs deep in the hearts of the English people. After all, English football has been around for centuries, and the stakes are simply higher than in the USA. That kind of passion and rivalry simply do not exist in the MLS. For example, there are century-old rivalries between certain PL teams: Arsenal vs. Tottenham, Liverpool vs. Everton, and Chelsea FC vs. Manchester United, to name but a few. Any time clubs of this caliber go head-to-head, you’re guaranteed to be in for a cracker of a game, where the sparks will fly and you’ll be entertained for the full 90 minutes, or maybe even longer.

Pre-season tournament to boost PL popularity 

Last October, it was announced that plans were underway to stage a pre-season tournament in the United States in July this year. This would involve around six Premier League teams playing a series of matches across America in preparation for the new Premier League season. A number of Premier League teams have already agreed to take part in the tournament, including Chelsea. Chelsea is known to play friendly matches every year in preparation for the new Premier League season.

The dates and venues have yet to be announced, but you do not need to have a fixed itinerary to travel to the United States. However, you will need to apply for an ESTA before you leave. An ESTA is not necessarily a visa but simply an electronic travel authorisation that allows you unlimited travel to the US during the two-year validity period of the ESTA. The ESTA allows for a three-month stay per trip. Within those three months, you can follow your favourite PL team around the USA as they prepare for the upcoming season, or simply visit your favourite US city that has been on your bucket list and add a match if your favourite team is playing in that particular city. Keep in mind that ticket prices can be higher during the summer, so don’t wait too long if you are planning to spend your summer holidays in the United States.