Felipe Bertazzo Tobar: “Football in the US is mainly considered a recreational and family leisure activity”

 What is your personal story with football and how this is connected to your academic and professional career? 

I was born and raised in Joinville, in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, where football has always been a central part of my life. Like many Brazilian kids, I grew up idolizing Romário, especially after his decisive goals in the 1994 World Cup in the United States. I still support Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense at the club level, which produced stars like Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Lucas Leiva (former Liverpool FC), and Anderson (former Manchester United). As a teenager, with my brother, I would travel over 700 kilometers to Porto Alegre to watch Grêmio play at Estádio Olímpico. These memories include the club’s remarkable 2007 Copa Libertadores campaign and the 2005 Brazilian Serie B championship. Although I quickly realized I did not have the talent to become a professional footballer, I knew I wanted to work in football. In 2009, I started my law degree and secured an internship during my first semester with the law firm representing Joinville Esporte Clube, my hometown’s professional club. That opportunity shaped the next nine years of my life, four of which I served as the club’s official attorney. Seeing how the club operated in the first, second, third and fourth divisions of the Brazilian National Championship, I worked on everything from player contracts and sponsorships to players’ disciplinary defense, supporter and security forces relations, and litigation in state, national and FIFA-related cases.

In 2014, right after defending my bachelor’s thesis on civil responsibility in Brazilian football, I was invited to pursue a Master’s in Cultural Heritage and Society. That marked a major turning point in my life. I began to approach football from anthropological, sociological, historical, and cultural lenses. For two years, my research focused on why football and the Brazilian Seleção were not formally recognized as cultural heritage in Brazil. I uncovered a series of political and corruption dynamics involving the Brazilian Football Federation and the national legislature preventing those recognitions. From there, I knew I wanted to continue on the academic path. I left my legal career and moved to the U.S. to pursue a Ph.D. at Clemson University, where I worked closely with Dr. Gregory Ramshaw. My research from 2018 to 2023 focused on the intersection of football, heritage, memory, history, tourism, and politics. Specifically, my dissertation investigated how European football clubs promote or marginalize their difficult pasts linked to 20th-century authoritarian regimes. I examined the stadium tours and museums of Real Madrid CF (in relation to the Spanish Civil War and Franco’s regime), Sporting Clube de Portugal (in relation to Salazar’s regime), and FC St. Pauli (in relation to Nazi Germany). The extensive fieldwork in Europe led to considering the existence of a direct relationship between the social, cultural, political, and temporal structure changes experienced by societies in dealing with difficult heritage and how these European football clubs interpret their experiences under authoritarian regimes at their stadium tours and museums. 

Since 2023, I have worked as an Assistant Professor in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management Department at Clemson University (USA), teaching sports, tourism and events courses. Recently, I published my first academic documentary, “The Match That Not Every Club Wants To Play,” which takes viewers to Spain and Germany, focusing on the dissertation cases of Real Madrid and FC St. Pauli, currently available on my Football Studies YouTube Channel. My research interests also shed light on the touristification of football clubs in the English Premier League to the point of conceptualizing them as “Global Touristic Football Clubs.” Understanding the sociocultural and economic impacts tourists bring to locals’ match-day experiences is also on my radar. At Clemson University, I am a fellow of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Sciences Institute, which has been funding an interdisciplinary project that I lead titled: “From virtual pitch to on field-performance: Developing more effective and inclusive VR Soccer training experiences.” In parallel to these research activities, I have been the Head Coach of Clemson University’s Paralympic Soccer Program since 2021. 

How effectively will the increased investment in football infrastructure and youth programs, driven by the World Cup 2026, translate into sustained, long-term growth of the sport at the grassroots level in diverse communities across the United States? 

 The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the only men’s World Cup ever played on American soil, had as its main legacy the creation of Major League Soccer (MLS). As the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Mexico and Canada, they have added new legacy targets. This time, the focus is on a more inclusive goal: to significantly increase youth participation at the grassroots level. To achieve this, FIFA and U.S. Soccer are launching and supporting major initiatives nationwide, aiming to ensure that the excitement of the tournament translates into long-term growth for a sport that, contrary to what we often see around the world, can be expensive to play. The United States is experiencing the same wave of football-related events that Brazil hosted in the 2010s. With major international events such as the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the LA Summer Olympics 2028 scheduled over the next years, the timing is ideal for strategic investment. It is fair to say that football in the United States is on the brink of explosive growth if well managed. Stadium infrastructure has never been and will not be a problem in American cities that are set to host the tournament. However, they still face challenges in making the sport universal and accessible to its residents, making the 2026 FIFA World Cup a crucial catalyst to ensure a transformative and lasting impact on the growth of soccer among youth.

In anticipation of these events, FIFA has committed to extending football’s reach beyond private clubs, where football is run as a business (more on this nature in the next question). In this decade, FIFA has launched the “FIFA Forward Development Programme” to support the “U.S. Soccer Federation’s (USSF) Innovate to Grow (ITG) initiative” with a substantial $3 million investment. This forms part of a broader $3.334 million project from August 2023 through February 2027, supporting 27 projects across 25 USSF member associations. The ITG initiative aims to bring football directly into public high schools and underserved communities through innovative after-school and community-based programs. Beyond increasing youth and adult participation, the ITG’s goals involve improving retention rates, removing social and economic barriers, making football accessible to underserved groups in both urban and rural settings, and encouraging diverse forms of football to be played in different spaces (street football, beach soccer, futsal, etc.). The majority of these programs are designed to work hand-in-hand with the educational system. For example, the Indianapolis Public Schools Futsal program aims to introduce futsal to over 1.1 million school-age children across Indiana. Similarly, a project in Atlanta (Georgia) is reaching 13 underserved locations, bringing football to communities with limited traditional access. In Chicago, a referee education program is empowering youth by covering registration and equipment costs, resulting in 300 new USSF-certified referees between the ages of 13 and 17. 

In parallel with these efforts, U.S. Soccer has announced the launch of the “Soccer Forward Foundation,” a transformative legacy project tied directly to the 2026 World Cup. This foundation is dedicated to improving lives and strengthening communities by harnessing the accessibility and power of football. According to U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson, the initiative has been developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders, including professional leagues, non-profits, school districts, and all levels of government. The focus is clear: get football into more schools, support programming in Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, and churches, and ensure communities have access to safe and inclusive spaces to play. This includes developing lower-cost participation models and ensuring safe play spaces are accessible by foot, bicycle, or public transportation. By making free and low-cost programs more widely available, the foundation hopes to eliminate the financial barriers often preventing young people from accessing the sport. Beyond grassroots programs, U.S. Soccer also invests in infrastructure to support this growth. The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) is building a new headquarters and national training center, the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center, in Fayette County, Georgia, near Atlanta, which is expected to open in Spring 2026. As revealed by Stuart Sharp, Head of the Extended National Teams, during a recent interview, this new facility will not just be a “home of soccer in the U.S.” by hosting all national teams in one place but rather a “home of soccer for the U.S.” This intentional distinction reflects a commitment to creating a welcoming space where fans can watch national teams, clubs from across the country can train, referees can develop their skills, and community members can gather. It aims to become a national focal point that sparks positive change and widespread engagement with the sport. 

Together, the FIFA Forward Programme, the ITG initiative, and the Soccer Forward Foundation represent a positive alignment of resources, strategy and vision to ensure that growing football at the grassroots level becomes a tangible legacy once the final whistle of all those major soccer events is blown. Unarguably, these initiatives focusing on grassroots development and strategic investment puts football in an exciting position to become a widely accessible leisure activity across the country.

 In what tangible ways will the World Cup 2026 contribute to fostering greater social cohesion and cross-cultural understanding within the United States, particularly in host cities?

 Football has long been recognized as a powerful social phenomenon capable of generating tangible and intangible benefits for its participants. Globally, the sport has demonstrated a unique ability to unite people across national, cultural, and political divides. In 2007, for example, former Ivorian captain and star striker Didier Drogba played a pivotal role in brokering a temporary truce during the Ivory Coast’s civil war, showcasing the unifying power of football during a time of deep national conflict. In Rwanda, even decades after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, football continues to be used by NGOs as a tool for remembrance, healing and reconciliation. This unifying character is always evoked when the FIFA World Cup is hosted, as it brings together diverse people through a shared love for the game. Such characteristics become particularly relevant in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is to be co-hosted by the United States, a nation that, despite being highly politically divided, is increasingly multicultural.

In this context, the United Nations’ 2024 edition of the International Migrant Stock dataset highlights that the United States has more immigrants than any other country. As of 2023, 47.8 million international migrants lived in the U.S., approximately 14.3% of the total population. The top countries of origin for U.S. immigrants are Mexico (10.6 million, or 23% of the total), India (6%), China (5%), the Philippines (4%), and El Salvador (3%). Notably, 77% of immigrants are in the country legally: 49% are naturalized citizens, 24% are lawful permanent residents, and 4% are legal temporary residents, while 23% are unauthorized immigrants. The demographic concentration of these immigrant communities is also significant and involves host cities and regions of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In 2022, the majority resided in California (10.4 million), Texas (5.2 million), Florida (4.8 million), and New York (4.5 million). Moreover, 29 million immigrants, 63% of the foreign-born population, resided in just 20 major metropolitan areas, including New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. 

This multicultural character of the U.S. aligns naturally with the inclusive structure of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which, for the first time, will feature 48 national teams from all six global football confederations. These teams will play in 11 U.S. host cities: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle. These cities will serve as convergence points where fans of various nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds can come together, not only in stadiums but also in fan zones, public festivals, and community events, with the potential to create a vibrant platform for cross-cultural exchange and social cohesion. The new initiative from FIFA around the respect and observation of human rights developed in consultation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and implemented since the tournament’s bidding process is certainly a factor in transforming the event as a platform for promoting equity, safety, and justice for United States residents. 

These commitments are already being reflected in local planning. For example, Atlanta’s bid includes initiatives related to housing rights, workers’ protections, and raising awareness around human trafficking, an issue that impacts people across the country. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Bay Area’s plan includes legacy efforts tied to discrimination, social justice, youth empowerment, and economic opportunities for underserved populations, especially women and youth of color. A particularly notable initiative is the intentional hiring of women of color for visible tournament roles and programs encouraging athlete engagement with marginalized youth to inspire participation and inclusion in sport. The combination of long-term investments in human rights and community development puts the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a vehicle to remind the heterogeneity nature of its host country and how different cultures and perspectives can generate greater social cohesion and cross-cultural understanding across the United States if well managed by both public and private sectors.

 What is the level of development of football fandom in the United States, and what direction has it taken? What comparisons could we make primarily with Europe or South America, Argentina and Brazil, for instance? (Similarities vs differences)

 The development of football fandom in the United States has followed a distinctive and relatively recent trajectory, shaped by the United States’ multi-sport nature, patterns of immigration, commercialization of sport, and global influences. While American fans are becoming more passionate and actively engaged in their respective fan bases, football in the U.S. is primarily considered an entertainment and family-friendly leisure activity, aka “a nice day out,” which still occupies a different cultural and emotional space compared to the way the sport is experienced in other continents such as Europe and South America. The contemporary popularity of football in the United States is a story of recent momentum. Major League Soccer (MLS), founded in 1996, represents the most concerted effort to create a stable professional league after several initiatives in the previous decades. One of them is the extinct North American Soccer League. This former top-level major professional soccer league operated from 1968 to 1984, where legendary players like Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer have played. Today, MLS is growing rapidly in size and popularity, with a record number of 30 franchises, increasing attendance figures and securing ever-more profitable broadcasting rights and sponsorships. For instance, MLS and Apple surpassed for the very first time 2 million global subscribers for MLS Season Pass. Messi’s mania effect has notably contributed to these outcomes in the last year while increasing popular awareness of the league, especially at the global level. 

Heath Pearce, former U.S. Men’s National Team defender and president of For Soccer, a national media and marketing company, recently emphasized that “soccer fandom is at an all-time high and continues to grow in the U.S.” His statement is strongly supported by For Soccer’s latest report, which tracks more than a decade of trends in fan demographics, consumption habits, and the key drivers of football fandom. The national 2023-2024 report, which has drawn over 2,040 fans from 50 U.S. states and DC, revealed a remarkable 400% year-over-year increase in new soccer fans, with the number of fans engaged for five years or fewer rising by 57%. Notably, 45% of these new fans are women, and 40% never played the sport themselves, discovering soccer through traditional forms such as family connections and social circles but also via player appeal, gaming, sports betting, and streaming platforms. Aligning with the notion of experiencing soccer as “a nice day out,” 56% of survey respondents fell into the categories of fans who are not committed to the game. This includes “The Sports Fan” (32%), who enjoys football alongside other sports and is not a die-hard fan; “The Casual Fan” (26%), for whom football is not a weekly experience and club results are of little concern; and “The Event Seeker” (8%), whose interest is limited to major spectacles like the World Cup or UEFA Champions League finals.Among all participants, soccer, as it is called in the U.S., is not even the most followed sport. Approximately 70% of respondents ranked American football as their first sport. As correctly stated in the survey, “Soccer fans aren’t just soccer fans, of course.” 

Unlike in Europe or South America, where football fandom is part of the nation’s fabric and viewed as a cultural heritage, typically passed down through generations and linked to local roots, football fans in the United are motivated by other factors when deciding which teams they will start supporting. The Men in Blazers Media Network’s 2023 fan survey, From Sea to Shining FC, gathered 9.000 answers from American listeners and revealed that they tend to support multiple clubs. Only 24% of respondents reported exclusive loyalty to a single club, while nearly half support three or more teams, and some even follow as many as six. Though this pattern is labeled “multi-club transient fandom” in the survey, for respondents, it does not signal a lack of passion. Approximately 97% of respondents described themselves as either “extremely” or “somewhat passionate” about the teams they support. What remains clear and uncontested is the overwhelming popularity of the English Premier League (EPL) among American fans. While approximately 35% support an EPL club, 75% say they are “passionate about traveling,” with 28% making the journey to England annually to watch EPL games in person. A remarkable 89% of survey participants follow the EPL daily or weekly, far outpacing the 40% who say the same for MLS and the 20% for La Liga.

In contrast to the Men in Blazers’ survey, at the For Soccer survey report, referenced earlier, the MLS and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) are the most followed leagues among all respondents, outpacing even the EPL, which was justified due to casual fans’ views and engagement with the sport. More notably, the report reveals a shift in the primary reasons fans choose to support a team. Traditional factors such as a player’s nationality, superstar status, or a club’s historic success can no longer be the dominant motivators. Instead, fashion is emerging as an influential factor. For example, new Paris Saint-Germain fans in the U.S. are 55% more likely than the average football fan to cite fashion as a key reason for choosing to follow the club. This aligns with PSG’s strategic branding efforts, including their fashion-forward boutique on New York’s iconic Fifth Avenue, reflecting the club’s crossover appeal beyond the pitch.

Surveys targeting specific demographic groups, namely Hispanic and Black communities, have revealed both overlapping and distinct characteristics of football fandom in the United States, particularly at the club, league, and national team levels. A 2023 survey by Allstate Sueño Alianza, a youth talent identification program deeply connected with Hispanic communities, gathered insights from 1,370 participants. The EPL emerged as the most favored league, followed closely by Liga MX and La Liga. When asked about their favorite clubs, respondents consistently named global giants such as FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Club América, which was also explained by successful Hispanic players in these teams. Notably, despite the majority being born in the United States, nearly two-thirds expressed allegiance to the Mexican national team, informing the strong influence of diaspora identities on fan loyalties. In the same year, a survey conducted by For Soccer focused on fans within Black communities across youth and adult age groups. The results showed again a strong preference for the EPL and UEFA Champions League, with clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal ranking highest among favorites. Interestingly, the growing Black representation within Major League Soccer – 25% of all players as of the end of the 2022 season, marking a 120% increase since 2014 – has elevated MLS’s popularity when combining hardcore and casual fandom. Yet, a noticeable trend has also emerged: many fans now support their favorite players over clubs, which has diluted their attachment to the U.S. Men’s National Team as allegiances shift toward the national teams of individual stars. Although not mentioned, this is the case with players such as Messi (Argentina) or Mbappé (France). This trend, however, does not appear to affect the U.S. Women’s National Team, which continues to be supported enthusiastically in large part due to its historically international success. 

From a match-day perspective, European and South American readers should not expect the same atmosphere found in stadiums led by Ultras groups and Barras Bravas when attending an MLS match. While many MLS supporter sections draw inspiration from these traditions, incorporating drums, tifos, pyrotechnics, and coordinated chants, the atmosphere is negatively impacted by the way football is vivid by most fans within the stadium. Stadiums are hyper-commercialized and consumption spaces as well as family-friendly and entertainment-oriented. Political messaging is prohibited under MLS policy, and the fan experience is often curated more like a live show. As someone who has attended matches in Brazil, England, Portugal and Germany and who has been immersed in football culture for decades, I have had the opportunity to attend four MLS matches in recent seasons at Atlanta United, Charlotte FC, and Seattle Sounders home stadiums. From those experiences, I can attest that matchday in the U.S. feels markedly different. The majority of fans are spectators in the true sense of the word. They focus primarily on the game unfolding on the pitch, occasionally gazing like tourists at the always smaller section of passionate supporters working hard to create an atmosphere. However, being vocal for ninety minutes in a small group is particularly challenging in oversized stadiums built initially for NFL teams, where acoustics and scale diminish the energy of supporter chants. The concept of being the “12th man” through non stop chanting and singing is not embedded in the behavior of US fans in general. Instead, fans tend to enjoy the spectacle: pre-game festivities, interactive halftime shows, and large jumbotron animations are central to the experience. Pricing strategies also play a role. High concession prices, for example, naturally draw a more middle- to upper-class, family-oriented crowd. Last month, at the MLS season opener between Charlotte FC and Atlanta United, the $16 beer price became a point of contention among my undergraduate students during a study trip. This small but telling example evidences how commercial priorities can shape matchday engagement and public segmentation and limit spontaneous fan expression.

In contrast, football in Europe and South America, particularly Argentina and Brazil, tends not to be casual.Matchday atmospheres can be more emotionally charged and often intimidating. Stadiums are split into mandatory home and away sections for security reasons, a practice that does not exist in MLS stadiums. Even outside of MLS stadiums, it is common to see fans from both teams mingling before matches in a peaceful environment, something unthinkable to fans in other countries. Moreover, club loyalty is woven into fans’ personal and collective identities in Europe and South America. This depth of connection is not yet mirrored in the U.S., where soccer is still largely experienced as an event rather than a lifelong allegiance. That said, American fans are evolving, and so are their match-day experiences. The love for the game is real, it just expresses itself differently and can be more transitory than what Europeans and South Americans are used to. 

Despite the Women’s National Team’s (USWNT) consistent success and advocacy, what systemic barriers still hinder equal access and opportunities for girls and women in football across different socioeconomic backgrounds in the United States?

 Recently, on my Football Studies YouTube channel, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Rachel Allison, Associate Professor of Sociology at Mississippi State University and author of Kicking Center: Gender and the Selling of Women’s Professional Soccer. Our conversation focused on the intersection between women’s football and gender narratives and the consumption of women’s football in the United States. As a consequence, we also talked about some of the structural elements that continue to impact equal opportunities in women’s football in the United States despite the  U.S. Women’s National Team’s international success and domestic advocacy for gender equality.

While the USWNT has long been dominant on the world stage and a vocal force in the fight for equal pay and representation, structural barriers continue to limit access and opportunities for girls and women, particularly those from lower-income and marginalized communities. One of the most critical issues is that youth sports in the U.S. have become a multibillion-dollar industry. According to the Aspen Institute and its nationally renowned project “Project Play,” American families spend between $30 to $40 billion annually on their children’s sports activities. At the core of this economic burden lies the pay-to-play system, which is a model that places the full cost of participation on families. Competitive youth football often involves steep expenses, including club fees, travel, and equipment. Of the four major U.S. sports, football ranks highest in average cost, with parents spending an average of $1,188 per year, compared to $1,002 for basketball, $714 for baseball, and $581 for tackle American football.

Investing in travel to follow their children is extremely difficult for families where parents work multiple jobs or non-traditional hours. In the State of Play Kansas City (2024) report from the Aspen Institute children from low-income households were three times less likely to participate in travel teams compared to peers from high-income homes. According to the Aspen’s Institute 2022 State of Play report, the wealthiest households spent nearly four times more on their child’s sport than the lowest-income families. Specifically, parents earning over $150,000 invest 83% more on travel than families earning under $50,000. The current economic model of youth sports disproportionately excludes working-class girls and children from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, particularly Black and brown youth from lower-income families or rural areas (Sharma, 2024). As a result, youth soccer in the U.S. tends to skew toward affluent, predominantly white communities. 

At the professional level, economic disparities persist. According to Jenn Nelson, Founder of WBE, a Women’s Sports Growth & Equity, while the latest NWSL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), in effect through 2030, has improved player conditions and increased salaries, pay still lags far behind Major League Soccer (MLS). The average NWSL player earns approximately $65,000 per season, a significant improvement from previous years, yet still a fraction of the MLS average of $530,000. The pay gap is primarily driven by revenue generation, with MLS clubs producing more income through ticket sales, sponsorships, and media rights. However, the NWSL is growing rapidly, with viewership, attendance, and sponsorships reaching new highs. It is also important to recognize that the NWSL is only in its 12th season, whereas the MLS is in its 32nd, helping to explain part of the disparity. At the collegiate level, where soccer is categorized as a non-revenue sport, women’s soccer exhibits clear disparities in visibility and media attention in comparison to men’s programs. Although there are 350 Division I women’s soccer programs compared to 212 men’s programs, the latter typically receive more public attention and institutional support. At Clemson University, where I serve as an Assistant Professor, I have seen firsthand how the women’s soccer team struggles to attract comparable attendance and visibility compared to the men’s team. Part of the differences in fan engagement can also be viewed based on how young the program is within the university. While the Men’s Soccer program was established in 1967, it was only in 1994 that Clemson University’s women’s soccer program began as a direct result of Title IX – a federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in education programs and activities receiving federal funding established in 1972. 

In conclusion, while the USWNT’s visibility and advocacy have played a critical role in elevating women’s football, rooted socioeconomic and cultural barriers persist and have only intensified under capitalist principles that reward profitability over equity. Addressing these issues requires rethinking the financial structure of youth sports, expanding access across socioeconomic lines, and challenging the notion that women’s football must mirror or compete with the men’s game. Instead, the women’s game should consider recognizing and celebrating its unique qualities, including its family-friendly, inclusive, and pro-social justice environment, creating a distinct and unique product for its audiences.

Has the increasing visibility and popularity of women’s professional football leagues influenced cultural perceptions of women’s athleticism and challenged traditional gender roles within American society? What major figures in women’s football have played a significant role in breaking down barriers? 

The rising visibility and popularity of women’s professional football, largely driven by the success of the USWNT and the growing fanbase of the NWSL, have undoubtedly influenced how American society views women’s athleticism skills and gender roles more broadly. Where female athletes were once sidelined or stereotyped, today’s footballers are increasingly celebrated as strong, skilled, and inspirational figures. This cultural shift is especially powerful for younger generations, who now see women’s sports as legitimate and aspirational.

Importantly, this visibility is not just about on-field performance but also tied to how players use their platforms for social and political change. While playing professionally, former athlete Megan Rapinoe has become a prominent public voice for equal pay, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. Her unapologetic activism has made her a cultural icon beyond sport. Similarly, former player Alex Morgan has used her influence to advocate for better working conditions and increased investment in women’s football. She played the 2023 season while raising her daughter, which showed the importance of soccer clubs respecting maternity leaves and ensuring players receive the best coverage. In 2016, Alex, Megan and four other US Women’s National Team players filed an EEOC complaint over unequal pay and treatment in US women’s soccer. In 2022, the results of that filing required men and women to be paid an equal rate for all friendlies and tournaments, including the World Cup. Crystal Alyssia Soubrier, aka Crystal Dunn, is another trailblazer in the United States soccer environment.  The PSG player has highlighted the need for racial inclusion within the leadership ranks of NWSL, a problem that, as we saw by the statistics in the previous question, is common within youth sports participation.With the retirement of some of these important legendary players, Trinity Rodman, Sophia Smith, Naomi Girma, and Mallory Swanson, who helped the U.S. win Olympic gold in Paris in 2024, have been in the spotlight as the new role models to keep making women’s soccer more popular and relevant within the United States. As expected by fans of the women’s game in the United States, these players may continue combining elite physical performance with intellectual, political, and emotional leadership.