For the most part, the 2026 World Cup has been widely considered a resounding success. The expanded 48-team tournament was co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, and while there were initial concerns over the cost to purchase tickets pricing out the fans, state-of-the-art stadiums appeared to be packed to full capacity. The 2026 World Cup may not have the expected effect on growing the sport in AmericaGettyWorld Cup fever was rife all across the States, especially at the beginning of the tournament, largely as a result of the USMNT’s relative success under Mauricio Pochettino in reaching the Round of 16.This appeared to translate into viewership numbers being smashed compared to previous tournaments, with FOX Sports’ $485 million gamble of getting the English-language broadcasting rights paying off tenfold. The increased popularity of soccer in the States, at least on the surface, even led to former longtime U.S. Soccer president Alan Rothenberg claiming that he expects soccer to ‘rocket launch’ past the NBA, MLB and NHL in the coming decade, if it hasn’t done so already. “It won’t be overnight,” Rothenberg claimed. “I think there’s gonna be greater interest from streaming services, as well as linear broadcasters, to go after soccer.“There’s been steady growth of soccer at all levels, particularly at the MLS level and NWSL level, on an ongoing basis. I think within a decade, it’s gonna be pretty clear that soccer’s gonna be No. 2.”Brassell believes 2026 World Cup has been ‘prohibitive’ to fansBut talkSPORT’s Andy Brassell isn’t so sure. On Sunday’s World Cup Weekender with Kev Hatchard & Andy Brassell, he discussed his belief that the 1994 World Cup held in America has done more for the growth of the game stateside than the 2026 edition has.His reasoning for this largely stems around the costs to attend games being ‘prohibitive’. “If you speak to American soccer fans of long-standing, that [1994 World Cup] was really the moment that broke the glass ceiling,” Brassell said. “A huge part of that was that it was affordable and accessible to people who wanted to experience it for the first time.“I think in terms of going to see the games, the fact that it has been prohibitively expensive has made a first-time experience for a lot of people very, very difficult. And I think that’s really sad.Brassell argues that the 1994 World Cup did more for soccer in America than in 2026GettySoccer fans having perhaps been priced out of attending games in 2026 is one of the leading factorsGetty“It feels to me that the U.S. already has a really strong soccer community. “When people talk about really taking U.S. soccer onto the next level, what they actually mean is, ‘Here is a commercial market – a huge commercial market – for sports and we feel we can plunder and exploit it a little bit more.’“It doesn’t actually mean grow the game. So, when FIFA and partners say that, ‘This is our plan to take U.S. soccer to the next level’ they don’t mean that, I don’t think.“And it’s not really fixed any of the issues in terms of U.S. player production. The tournament shouldn’t have to do that, that’s a U.S. Soccer thing, but I have mixed feelings about what it’s meant on a social level, certainly.”Fans not being put at the forefrontWhilst the majority of the venues used at this World Cup appear to have been at full capacity, Hatchard and Brassell noted the numbers of influencers, some of whom may not even be fans of football, in the crowds.This just forms part of another reason why Brassell is of the belief that the 2026 World Cup may not actually help grow the game across the pond in the way that some may expect. Argentina fans appear to be an exception to the theoryGetty“Ultimately, the fans are far more important than a lot of football authorities would like to have you believe, because fans create atmosphere,” Brassell continued. “They elevate something from a game into a spectacle. Even if you’re just watching the game on TV, it makes a massive difference.”One team that appears to be an exception to this, though, is defending champions and finalists Argentina, who are gearing up to take on Spain – in their first final since 2010 – for the honor of being crowned world champions at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. “Talking about the finalists this evening, Argentina are the exception that proves the rule, because really it’s not just about the cult of Messi. It’s about Argentina and the passion that they [fans] bring,” Brassell added. “When you go to an Argentina game at a World Cup, the atmosphere that comes with it, it reminds you of what’s missing in so many of those other games. “That’s definitely a direct result of the fact that it is so expensive to get in, which clearly makes the game less democratic and less inclusive.”Not even the supposed ‘Americanization’ of the sport, with the mandated three-minute hydration breaks cited for being due to ‘player welfare’ – though some claim it is just another cash grab for FIFA to make more money through advertisements – may give soccer the huge growth it expects to see after the tournament. All theories appear to lead to the same conclusion – money is at the forefront, with seemingly little-to-no regard for the genuine fans of the beautiful game. This ultimately begs the question – how can FIFA expect the sport to grow if they’re not willing to change their approach? 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