Brief history of the 1994 World Cup in the USA

In 1994, the United States proved global critics wrong as hosts of the World Cup.

Skeptics in Europe and South America argued that a country without a top-tier professional league, paired with a population that allegedly did not “get” the game, was a questionable choice for the world’s biggest sporting event.

But what unfolded over the summer was a memorable tournament, watched by massive crowds in stadiums better known for the other form of football. American football had its long-awaited defining moment.

Let’s look back at the summer when soccer took America by storm.

How did the USA do at the 1994 World Cup?

If you remember or have seen clips of the US men’s national team at the 1994 World Cup, a few things stood out. One was the amazing hairstyles. You had Alexi Lalas. Coby Jones. Marcelo Balboa. Tony Meola. All American football icons rock such a unique blend of looks.

Building on its performance at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, where it went without a win in three games, the US wanted to ensure it would make a better impression as hosts.

The U.S. men’s national team opened group play against Switzerland at the Pontiac Silverdome — then home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions — on a temporary grass field.

The first match in World Cup history to be played indoors, the stadium was designed to keep out the winter weather and was not equipped with air conditioning. American midfielder Thomas Dooley later called it “the worst place I’ve ever played.”

USA star Eric Wynalda, center, prior to the opening. (Photo by Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images)

But it was thanks to a wonder goal against the Swiss by USA star Eric Wynalda that made the game memorable, even though the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

After sharing points in the opener against Switzerland, the United States stunned a heavily favored Colombia team in a 2-1 victory at the Rose Bowl. But that followed a 1-0 loss at the same stadium to group winners Romania, consigning the U.S. to a third-place finish in the group and a round of 16 tie with Brazil.

USA’s Alexi Lalas keeps pace with Brazil’s Romario. (Photo credit: Chris Cole/ALLSPORT)

On a sunny afternoon on the 4th of July, the USA took on the mighty Brazil at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto. A tough and tumbling match, in which the Brazilians played part of the match a man down due to a red card, the USA could not break down the more talented South American squad. Brazil ended the Americans’ dream with a 1-0 victory.

Who won the World Cup in 1994?

Brazil with the 1994 World Cup trophy (Photo by Daniel GARCIA / AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil went on to lift the country’s fourth World Cup by defeating Italy, breaking a 24-year drought and its first championship since Pelé last lifted the third and final trophy of his illustrious career in 1970.

Brazil were led by legendary strikers Romario and Bebeto, who finished with a combined eight goals. It was Bebeto who scored the game-winner against the USA in the round of 16. A quarter-final win over the Dutch then set up a semi-final win over Sweden, with Romario scoring the decisive goal.

Despite the historic setting of the Rose Bowl, the final itself had relatively few memorable moments. After 120 minutes of goalless play, it was the first World Cup final to be decided on penalties.

If there was one lasting image of the final, it would be Italian star Roberto Baggio sailing his penalty attempt over the bar and into the crowd. Heartbreak for the Italians, but an elusive fourth title for Brazil.

What were some of the best moments of the 1994 World Cup?

Diego Maradona made a brief appearance in USA ’94. (Photo by Damian Strohmeyer/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

The tournament produced its fair share of legendary players. It was the last tournament to see the likes of Diego Maradona, who had helped Argentina win it all in 1986, and Germany icon Jürgen Klinsmann, who led his country to the 1990 title.

But Maradona’s abrupt exit from the World Cup was to prove one of the most shocking moments in World Cup history. After one last iconic goal and a wild-eyed celebration against Greece, he was sent home in disgrace after failing a drugs test.

Russia’s Oleg Salenko scores FIVE goals in one game. (Photo by Patrick HERTZOG/AFP via Getty Images)

Just days after Maradona’s exit, Russia’s Oleg Salenko etched his name into the record books in a way no one saw coming.

In a group stage match against Cameroon at Stanford Stadium, Salenko scored a record five goals in a single game. To this day, he is the only player in World Cup history to achieve that feat in one match. Ironically, despite this historic feat, Russia was eliminated in the opening round.

Who won the World Cup Golden Ball in 1994?

Brazil’s Romario targets Italy in the final. (Photo by Henri Szwarc/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The Golden Ball is awarded to the best player of the tournament and Brazil’s Romario was certainly a deserving one. He scored five goals throughout the tournament and made his mark by scoring in each of the group stage matches and then two more during the knockout rounds. He also assisted Bebeto with the only goal in the 1-0 win over USA in the round of 16.

Who won the golden boot? Who won the golden glove?

The 1994 tournament remains the only time that the Golden Boot award, given to the top scorer, was shared by two players: Russia’s Oleg Salenko and Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov. Both players finished the tournament with six goals each.

Salenko made history by scoring a record five goals in a single match against Cameroon, while adding another against Sweden. Salenko’s record day went a long way towards making him the only player in World Cup history to win the Golden Boot despite only featuring in the first round. Not bad for a guy who played in four fewer games than Stoichkov.

Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov was a breakout star. (Photo by Multhaup Oliver/image alliance via Getty Images)

Stoichkov’s brilliance led Bulgaria on a fairytale run to the semi-finals, highlighted by a stunning free-kick that helped eliminate defending champions Germany. He started the tournament with two penalties against Greece and also scored against Mexico in the Round of 16.

Belgian goalkeeper Michel Preud’homme received the first Golden Glove Award (then known as the Lev Yashin Award) at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. Although the Belgians only reached the round of 16, Preud’homme kept clean sheets against Morocco and the Netherlands. He allowed one against Saudi Arabia before his team bowed out 3-2 to the Germans.

What was the legacy of the 1994 World Cup?

A generation of soccer fans grew up with USA ’94. (Photo by Lutz Bongarts/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The 1994 World Cup changed American sports culture and showed that soccer could draw huge crowds in the land of the Super Bowl. It made a “questionable choice” the most attended tournament in FIFA history, proving that the United States was ready to define the game on its own terms.

Before the tournament, skeptics predicted empty stadiums, cultural indifference and general confusion.

Instead, 3.6 million spectators packed venues from Los Angeles to New York, still the all-time World Cup attendance record.

The tournament’s domestic popularity led to the birth of Major League Soccer, a league that still stands today, including 30 professional soccer teams, in 25 American and three Canadian cities.

MLS gave the US Soccer Association a much deeper talent pool than what was available over 30 years ago.

As the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 World Cup, it does so in a very different position than it did over 30 years ago.

2026 FIFA World Cup: How to watch

The WC takes place from June 11-19. July 2026. Split across three countries, the tournament culminates with the final on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches airs live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game streaming live and on-demand in both the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, are televised in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).