'Like Super Bowls every day' - USWNT icon Carli Lloyd predicts transformative impact of consecutive FIFA tournaments in the U.S.

The two-time FIFA World Cup winner shared her excitement about the U.S. hosting Club World Cup, World Cup in consecutive summers

• World Cup in 2026 like Super Bowls every day
• Reflects on inspiration from 1999 Women's World Cup
• American interest in soccer reaches unprecedented levels
  

Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZN

Stream now

• Getty Images

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Two-time FIFA Women's World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd spoke about the significant impact she anticipates as the U.S. hosts both the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and 2026 FIFA World Cup in back-to-back summers.

  This will be the first time the U.S. has hosted FIFA tournaments in back-to-back years, and Lloyd says the reverberations will be tremendous. She said the events will transform the sport's standing within American culture.

  “Well, first of all, it’s a beautiful game and I’m a bit biased in saying that America’s one of the greatest places to be,” Lloyd told FIFA's official website. “So I think these next two summers, I don’t think that we all realize the effects that the Club World Cup and the World Cup is going to bring to not only America but all across the globe."

  “Look at the NFL and the Super Bowl - the World Cup in '26 is going to be like Super Bowls every day. So it’s going to be amazing, and as FIFA puts on all of these amazing tournaments, they’re gonna do a phenomenal job these next few summers as well."

• WHAT CARLI LLOYD SAID

  Lloyd noted that there are more people in America watching soccer than ever.

  “I think here in America, there are a lot more people watching games, there are a lot more games that are on television from leagues all across the world, and you got more people tuning in," she said. "And I think that this is just going to inspire so many young kids to want to play soccer here in America. You look at the '94 men’s World Cup that was here, so many people were inspired."

  The 1999 Women's World Cup, held in the U.S., had a similar impact for Lloyd.

  “Myself watching the ’99 Women’s World Cup played here on American soil," she recalled, "I sat in the stands saying to myself ‘I wanted to represent my country playing in World Cup and Olympics. So it’s just a pivotal time in America for soccer and for so many, it’s just going to be phenomenal, these next few summers are going to be like nothing we’ve ever seen before.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  These tournaments arrive as the country seems primed for a significant leap forward in soccer culture, potentially creating a perfect storm of interest, investment, and infrastructure development that could permanently elevate the sport's status nationwide.

• Getty Images

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup will take place in the U.S. from June 15 to July 13, featuring champions from all six continental confederations. The following summer, the United States will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.