Fans cheer during the second half of the match between Argentina and Canada at Metlife Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Despite USMNT's early exit, data shows Copa America 2024 resonates with U.S. fans

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Jul 11, 2024 1:28 PM ET

Copa America has only been played in the U.S. twice — in 2016 and 2024 — but both occasions were huge opportunities to grow the game of soccer in America.

The domestic focus of both editions on American soil was the U.S. Men's National Team, which made it to the semi-finals in 2016 but failed to qualify for the group stage this time.

Despite the team's early exit this summer, data shows fans engaged more with the 2024 tournament than the 2016 Centenario edition, suggesting a significant growth in soccer popularity among Americans.

Sports Business Journal reports Copa America's viewership through the quarterfinals is up 45% from the 2016 edition at the same juncture. Matches on Fox, FS1 and FS2 averaged 1.17 million viewers this summer compared to 807,000 in 2016.

Argentina-Ecuador on July 4 was a particular high-water mark, setting a network record for Fox.

Fireworks on the Fourth

Argentina’s dramatic @CopaAmerica quarterfinal victory over Ecuador draws record-setting audience on FOX as tournament continues ratings pop ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/eAQlLd9KRg
— FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) July 8, 2024

Though U.S. viewership of the Euro Tournament has been much higher, in-person Copa America figures illustrate an expanding desire for high-quality football in the states.

More fans attended Copa America matches this summer than the last edition hosted by U.S. venues.

According to a Vivid Seats spokesperson, company data shows an 85% increase in demand for tickets to the 2024 matches compared to 2016. Average ticket prices for the tournament are also up, reflecting an 86.6% increase from the last U.S.-hosted edition.

Interestingly, two Copa America matches top the list of this year's "hottest tickets" at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami — the venue for the tournament final — based on average sold price, according to Vivid Seats.

Argentina-Colombia, Sunday's upcoming final ($1,209 per ticket), and Argentina-Peru in June ($488) were the top two, respectively, ahead of the Miami Open Tennis final ($476) and two Miami Dolphins home games ($350 and $335 separately).

Vivid Seats data indicates that ticket demand for Sunday's final is up an astounding 211% compared to the 2016 final which also featured Argentina.

The worldwide popularity of Argentina's Lionel Messi — who plays his club soccer at Inter Miami — may have had a significant impact on those statistics, but it still proves there is a growing appetite for competitive soccer on American shores.

So, while fans want the USMNT to improve, the data attests their attention spans don't shorten just because America is not playing.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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