1994: How much has changed since the USA last hosted the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup returns to the USA for the first time since 1994. Here's how football, and America, has changed in the 32 years since.
Image: stock.adobe.com
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is finally here, and is being held across three countries – the United States, Canada and Mexico – following the success of the United 2026 joint bid.
11 cities in the US will host games, along with three cities in Mexico and two in Canada. This shared hosting experience will be the first time that the World Cup has taken place in the States since 1994. Both football and the US have seen a significant change since then.
Sky HISTORY looks back at the 1994 FIFA World Cup to explore how much – and how little – has changed in the decades since.
The bid for the 1994 World Cup
We have to wind the clock back to 1988, when the United States went head-to-head with Morocco and Brazil to bid for the 1994 World Cup. This was the first time that the United States had been chosen to be the event host. The decision was made by FIFA Executive Committee members. The US was the only country of the three at the time to already have fully functioning stadiums.
However, the choice was also made as FIFA saw it as an opportunity for interest in football to grow in the United States. Whilst America was definitely warming up to "soccer" by the 90s, it was far from the dominant sport it was elsewhere in the world.
Response to the United States as the 1994 World Cup hosts
The global response to the chosen hosts was not so positive. The States were not particularly respected when it came to football, as they did not have a high-level professional league. South America and Europe were especially critical, arguing this lack of professionalism and believing that the beautiful game was not as understood or as popular as the NFL or NBA.
The performance of the US
Despite the criticism, the 1994 World Cup was a memorable and impressive one for the US team. Due to the lack of a professional league, the United States Men’s National Team was largely drawn from players competing abroad and included notable names such as Tab Ramos, Claudio Reyna and Thomas Dooley.
Despite the modest expectations for the squad, the USA drew against Switzerland – a respected European team – and won against Colombia. They lost 1-0 to Romania, but had enough points to advance to the knockout round. Their tournament was brought to an end by a loss to Brazil – one of the most skilled football teams and the eventual 1994 World Cup winners.
Political differences and similarities
In 1994, there were some similarities to 2026 when it comes to the global political situation in relation to the World Cup. Both in 2026 and 1994, there was a strong sense of nationalism surrounding the US as hosts (even though the title is shared this time with Mexico and Canada). As well as building on the popularity of the sport in the States, hosting the event also gave America a chance to project its influence. 2026 is very much the same, though the competition is stronger in today's geopolitical climate.
There are also differences, as is to be expected with a 32-year gap and a new administration within the US government. The changes to US immigration policy have generated significant debate, with some participants in the tournament affected by new entry requirements. Somalian referee Omar Artan was widely reportedly as being prevented from entering the country due to 'vetting concerns'.
Football changes
There have been major changes in the World Cup since 1994, which are sure to have an effect on the games as a whole. Numbers-wise, there are now 48 nations involved in the tournament rather than the 24 that took part in 1994.
There are double the number of games too, increasing from 52 games in 1994 to 104 in 2026. Player squads have increased as well, with up to 26 players now allowed in each team (previously 22). The event is also generally much larger and more extravagant. This huge rise in numbers adds to the attention that the tournament will get, while showing how significant it is for the States to play host.
In 1994, the World Cup came to America as an experiment – a bet that the sport could find an audience in a country that had largely ignored it. 32 years later, the US returns as co-host of the biggest tournament in history. The experiment, it seems, paid off.
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