How Women's Club Soccer Can Grow in the United States

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Women’s Club Soccer Needs Time to Match National Team Interest

The importance of the women’s game at the club level is starting to match the interest and love the national team has created among American fans. The women’s team is preparing very well for the next Women’s World Cup and has captured the attention of fans in a way that is finally becoming visible at the club level.

Still, growth takes time. On the men’s side, people spent years waiting for the international game to elevate the domestic league. It has taken more than 30 years for MLS to reach its current position. The WSL is also moving in the right direction, but its development will require patience.

A strong club game is hugely important because it helps develop the sport. Youth development makes the league better, creating a valuable feedback loop. The United States is already a powerhouse in women’s football, which is a major point of pride, and continued growth at the club level can only help.

However, each World Cup should not be expected to change everything immediately. The game must grow organically because this is about culture as much as sport. MLS is now showing glimpses of that culture through promising sparks of organic growth. Major events can help, but lasting progress takes time.