As this article says, soccer is growing in popularity in the U.S.
“The popularity of soccer has grown especially among women since the U.S. women’s soccer team won the World Cup in 1991 and in 1999. In the United States, 35 percent of soccer players are women, one of the highest percentages of female participation in soccer in the world. Female participation in high school soccer has risen by more than 177 percent since 1990.
In 2002 the U.S. men’s soccer team advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in recent history. Major League Soccer (MLS), the United States’ professional soccer league, has expanded from 10 to 14 teams. More then 33 million fans have attended a regular-season MLS game. Soccer is gaining a committed fan base in the United States.”