Six small, non-U.S. soccer teams Americans should consider following

Wrexham's dramatic rise from the depths of the English pyramid, shown in their documentary series, proves there is fun, quality soccer to follow despite it not being readily available on American TV.

So, for those new to soccer fandom or looking for fresh clubs to back, here are six teams for American fans to consider supporting for next season.

Ipswich Town: The Tractor Boys earned back-to-back promotion from League One and the English Football League Championship (the second tier in England) and will kick off their first Premier League campaign since 2002 in August. But can they avoid immediate relegation, unlike 2023 newcomers Luton Town?

Venezia FC: "I Leoni alati" (The Winged Lions) earned promotion to Italian top tier Serie A after winning the Serie B playoff final with the help of Americans Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann.

The fashion forward club, which boasts Gucci and Versace-esque uniforms, will return to Serie A after only a two-year absence. Fans can anticipate their style clashing with Italian giants Inter and AC Milan again in 2024.

Sheffield Wednesday FC: Not to be confused with their local rivals Sheffield United (recently relegated from the Premier League), the Owls haven't played in the top flight since 2000 and have bounced back and forth between League One and the Championship since then.

Fans are unhappy with the current ownership and lack of success, but it could be fun to get in on the ground level for when the payoff eventually comes.

Como 1907: Just as their name teases, the club plays its matches on the scenic banks of Lake Como in Lombardy in Italy and boasts football royalty Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas among its investors. Fabregas coaches the team.

Como 1907 earned promotion back to top tier Serie A for the first time in 21 years after working its way through three tiers in the past seven seasons.

Olympique de Marseille: This French Ligue 1 side hailing from the historic port city on the Mediterranean used to be the cream of the crop before the rise of Paris Saint-Germain in the last decade or so. 

Despite finishing eighth in 2023, fans can expect "Les Olympiens" to return to form quicker than the above mentioned clubs with talents such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at striker and a habit for being perennial European cup mainstays.

FC Copenhagen: The 15-time Danish Super Liga champions are consistently in European competitions and have a storied history, originating from the merger of two clubs in 1992. 

The Lions notched a historic victory in 2023 by toppling English giant Manchester United in their Champions League group before eventually falling to Manchester City in the knockout stages.