The Ascension of Soccer Fever

Only one week to go before the National Football League’s 2025 season kickoff. I will whet my appetite for the action this weekend by participating in the draft for a Fantasy Football League.

Football and I go a long way back, including my attendance at the first Monday Night Football game ever played in Cleveland in 1970.

While my home team won that game, 31-21, the vanquished New York Jets still own one more Super Bowl trophy than the Browns’ zero (a figure I expect to remain static this season).

And yet, this year I must confess to mixed emotions. While I still like football, I am equally enthusiastic about the high school soccer season.

That is, the high school where our great-grandson is the starting goalie after two years of reserve duty.

Turning Tide

I know my preference for football is due to its childhood familiarity. After learning the game in second grade, thanks to a classmate who invited me to join a game on the playground, I became an avid fan.

Football is by far the king when it comes to the most-watched sports league in America. Measured in the billions, its 974.7 minutes in 2023 was nearly triple Major League Baseball’s 329.7.

Of the five major pro leagues, soccer came in a distant last, at 3.1.

And yet, the tide is ready to turn, thanks to the 2026 World Cup. The 48 teams playing in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico from next June 14 through July 13 are expected to attract six billion viewers.

That number kind of dwarfs the Super Bowl’s 120 million, strengthening soccer’s grip on the title of world’s most popular sport.

Nor has our great-grandson grown up with the football fever familiar to senior citizens. Sure, he still roots for the Philadelphia Eagles, but his year-round fascination is the soccer pitch. That includes playing in an indoor league during the winter.

King of Sports

My wife and I have been going to soccer games for more than 20 years. But it’s only been in the last couple that we got excited about them.

Sure, we have enjoyed being there to cheer on numerous grandkids (and greats) during their formative years. Still, kiddie leagues can best be described as youngsters running around on the field, not sure exactly what’s going on. They’re just happy to be there, with family and friends watching.

But high school soccer? This is the sport as it’s meant to be played. Plenty of teamwork, passing, and heading balls down the field or into the net. And body checking, which sometimes gets rough enough it stirs passion from fans who scream, “Couldn’t you see that, ref? Are you blind?” (It got so heated at one summer league match that the referee came over and ejected the unruly fan.)

In the past, I derided folks who talked about the thrill of a 1-0 soccer game. Then I saw one, with our great-grandson’s team winning with a couple of minutes left on the scoreboard.

The stadium of several hundred spectators erupted with such cheering that it sounded like ten times as many people were there.

The bulk of my soccer viewing comes at these games. So, what little I know about the rules or penalties assessed for various infractions comes from more knowledgeable fans. You might call it education by osmosis.

Still, 2025 and 2026 will mark the culmination of our great-grandson’s high school career. We plan to make the most of it.