San Francisco: For years, Jorge Bejarano has been one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most passionate soccer fans, banging a drum for the second-tier Oakland Roots. With the World Cup coming to the U.S., he and others are counting on their cheers for local soccer to resonate across the nation.
Soccer fans are a minority among sports supporters in the United States. Despite its strength as a youth sport, soccer still lags other major sports in viewership, especially American football. Interest is also low compared to global averages. According to the latest Ipsos poll, around 36% of Americans plan to watch the World Cup.
