Soccer in America: From the Sidelines to the Mainstream

Soccer in America: From the Sidelines to the Mainstream

From Mexico Matters by Center for Strategic and International Studies

June 11, 2026 · 47 min

About this episode

Mariana and guest Andres Martinez discuss the rise of soccer in America and its implications for the future of the sport.

In this episode, Mariana sits down with Andres Martinez, journalist, Co-Director of the Great Game Lab at Arizona State University, and author of the gripping new book, The Great Game: A Tale of Two Footballs and America’s Quest to Conquer Global Sport. Together, they decode the massive forces driving soccer from the American fringes into the mainstream. From the explosive evolution of the tournament since 2024 to becoming a global blueprint for women’s soccer, they break down how American capital is aggressively buying into and controlling historic European clubs, among others. They also look ahead to the expanded 48-team World Cup. What are the realistic odds for Mexico and the United States teams to survive the brutal new Round 32 and move beyond? Finally, they dive into a fascinating, high stakes human story unfolding on the U.S.-Mexico border, where scouts from both federations fiercely battle to recruit the next generation of dual-national stars.

People in this episode

Host: Mariana

Guest: Andres Martinez

Topics covered

  • soccer in America
  • sports evolution
  • women's soccer
  • global sports
  • U.S.-Mexico relations
  • dual-national athletes

Keywords

  • soccer
  • America
  • World Cup
  • women's soccer
  • dual-national stars
  • Andres Martinez
  • Arizona State University

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Arizona State University

Books & works: The Great Game: A Tale of Two Footballs and America’s Quest to Conquer Global Sport

Places: Mexico, United States, U.S.-Mexico border

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