The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the country. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988. Despite soccer's relative lack of popularity in the host nation, the tournament was the most financially successful in World Cup history. It broke tournament records with a total attendance of 3,587,538 and an average of 68,991 per game, figures that were unsurpassed until the 48-team 2026 World Cup which was hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, despite the expansion of the competition from 24 to 32 teams from the 1998 World Cup.