With 'summer of soccer' in the rearview, is the U.S. ready for 2026?

On Sunday at 4:45 p.m. ET in Berlin, Mikel Oyarzabal netted Spain's Euro-clinching goal, a thrilling finish to a back-and-forth match against England. Seven hours later in Miami, Lautaro Martinez pushed Argentina past Colombia for its 16th Copa America title with his 112th minute game-winning goal.

It was a drama-filled Sunday with the sport at its best on the field.

Those two moments will have major implications on the FIFA World Cup two years from now in the United States as the country prepares to host with Canada and Mexico.

The "summer of soccer" had Americans watching at record numbers . That's good news as the United States will once again attempt to show the world that it can be a soccer nation. It's been a slow, but steady, upward trend since the U.S. hosted the 1994 World Cup, and according to Morning Consult , soccer fans are younger and more diverse than general sports fans in the United States.

That could be positive for the future growth of the game. In the short term, it is important that the United States Men's National Team hires a quality coach and shows promise heading into the World Cup. A strong American side would bolster attendance and ratings.

Speaking of attendance, it's a concern ahead of 2026. In the Copa America group stage games in the U.S., 10 matches sold out, but stadiums were less than 66 percent full for 10 other matches. More concerning is the fact that none of the three United States' matches were sellouts. Two of Canada's matches failed to reach capacity (the one that did featured Argentina) and one of Mexico's failed to sell out.

For the final, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami sold out, but a dangerous display of fans rushing the gates, climbing over walls and even trying to sneak in through vents delayed the start of the match and marred the overall storyline of Argentina winning the title.

With average ticket prices around $200 and games spread across the country, Copa America had many barriers to fans attending. In 2026, FIFA is expanding the World Cup to 48 teams from 32, which means there will be a total of 104 matches compared to 64 in the old format. This year's Copa America creates doubt that stadiums will be filled.

On the field, this summer's action was electric. The European Championship boasted 20 matches decided by one goal, along with three matches requiring penalties. Copa America featured 11 matches decided by a goal. However, the actual field is an issue. NFL stadiums will be used for the World Cup and the playing surfaces came under fire by players and coaches alike.

Will the United States be ready to welcome the world in 2026? This summer showed the fans are willing to tune in and the game is growing, but there is work to be done to be quality hosts for the game's greatest spectacle.