AILSA CHANG, HOST:
The FIFA World Cup arrives in North America next month, and we're kicking off our coverage by traveling back to 1994, the first time that the U.S. hosted the tournament. As NPR's Juliana Kim reports, that World Cup helped bring soccer from the country's sidelines to centerfield.
JULIANA KIM, BYLINE: The last time that the U.S. was gearing up to host the World Cup, Fresh Air's Terry Gross described it this way.
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TERRY GROSS: The World Cup, the biggest athletic event in the world, is coming to America this month, and some Americans couldn't care less.
KIM: In fact, a survey at the time found that a majority of Americans didn't even know that the World Cup would be happening in the U.S.
MIKE SORBER: It was a big question as to how the U.S. would embrace it. Would people come to the games?
KIM: That's Mike Sorber. In 1994, he played for the U.S. Men's National Team. Despite all the doubts, things took a surprising turn once the competition began.
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KIM: Game after game, millions of people tuned in to watch, and stadiums were packed, the cheers as loud as thunder.
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KIM: There were tourists and die-hard fans but also people who came out of curiosity and because tickets were relatively affordable. And then there were the parties, like at this Irish pub in New York.
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KIM: Soccer historian Kevin Tallec Marston says, Americans were drawn in by the celebrations.
KEVIN TALLEC MARSTON: Perhaps the experience was a bit different seeing these people from all around the world with their own cultures, their own chants, their own songs, their own instruments.
UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: (Vocalizing).
KIM: But perhaps what was most electrifying for Americans was the U.S. team's strong performance. It started with a hard fought 1-to-1 tie with Switzerland, followed by a stunning 2-to-1 upset over Colombia.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: It is a landmark day for the United States of America. They have beaten Colombia.
KIM: It marked the first World Cup win for the U.S. Men's National Team in over four decades.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Look at those celebrations.
SORBER: It was euphoria.
KIM: Sorber was on the starting team as a midfielder.
SORBER: Just, you know, a huge release of energy for everyone, for the players that put in the hard work, for the fans that were excited. And it really got the media's attention.
KIM: The U.S. team went on to lose to Romania and then Brazil, but the tournament itself was considered a resounding success.
SORBER: I think all the naysayers were surprised that all these football stadiums that had 60-, 70-, 90,000 people were sold out.
KIM: In total, over 3.5 million people filled those stadiums. And to this day, it's the largest attendance in FIFA history. Since then, Major League Soccer launched, the U.S. women's team became an international powerhouse, and youth leagues saw explosive growth. The country's soccer fan base is bigger and more passionate than ever. For many of them, it started with those 1994 games.
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UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) USA. USA. USA. USA.
KIM: So the upcoming World Cup has big cleats to fill. Juliana Kim, NPR News.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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