The 1994 World Cup in the U.S. remains the most attended tournament in FIFA history.

The 1994 FIFA World Cup was a landmark event that defied expectations regarding American interest in soccer. The tournament recorded a total attendance of 3,587,538 across only 52 matches. This resulted in an incredible average of 68,991 fans per game. For comparison, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar featured 64 matches but drew roughly 3.4 million fans in total.The primary reason for this record-breaking success was the use of massive American football stadiums. Venues like the Rose Bowl in Pasadena and Michigan Stadium offered significantly higher seating capacities than typical European or South American soccer stadiums. The Rose Bowl alone hosted over 94,000 fans for the final match between Brazil and Italy on July 17, 1994.This success occurred despite soccer being ranked behind American football, baseball, and basketball in national popularity. The high turnout convinced FIFA that the North American market was viable for professional soccer. This momentum directly led to the founding of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1993, which began its first season in 1996.The record has proven remarkably durable because FIFA expanded the tournament to 64 matches starting in 1998. Even with 12 additional opportunities to sell tickets, no host nation has surpassed the 1994 total. Experts predict the record may finally fall in 2026 when the tournament expands again to 104 matches across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.