Portal:Soccer in the United States
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 Soccer in the United States has long been popular amongst all ages and it is the most popular recreational sport for both boys and girls, and according to History of Soccer: The Beautiful Game, has been so for about 25 years. This late 20th century boom is attributed for the most part to the existence of the North American Soccer League from 1967 to 1984, and the New York Cosmos, its marquee team which included among its players stellar names like Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer. Professional soccer has expanded since the mid-1990s, especially since the 1994 FIFA World Cup which was hosted in the United States for the first time. Both the 1999 and 2003 FIFA Women's World Cups were also held in the USA, and the United States women's national team is one of the best in the world. Their home crowd of over 90,000 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for the 1999 World Cup Final remains the largest crowd in the world ever to witness any women's sporting event. More and more Americans, having played the game in their youth are now avid spectators. Most cities with Major League Soccer teams have large fan bases. In addition, as Latin American immigration is increasing overall in the entire nation, so is the popularity of soccer. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found. The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) is the official governing body of the sport of soccer in the United States. Founded in 1913, it is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It is a member of FIFA, and is responsible for governing amateur and professional soccer, including the men's, women's, and Paralympic national teams. The USSF is also responsible for sanctioning referees and soccer tournaments for most soccer leagues in the United States. The federation oversees America's professional leagues, Major League Soccer (Division I), North American Soccer League (Division II), and the United Soccer League (Division III), as well as the National Women's Soccer League. The federations major cup competition is the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup which is open to all affiliated teams and has been contested since 1914. In 2003, U.S. Soccer opened their National Training Center at The Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson. The $130 million facility includes a soccer-specific stadium, home to the MLS LA Galaxy. There are five full soccer fields (four grass and one artificial) for use and both the senior and youth men's and women's United States National Teams hold camps at The Home Depot Center regularly. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.  The North Carolina Tar Heels pose with the 2006 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship trophy. North Carolina beat Notre Dame 2–1 in the final to take the title. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.  Beckham's career began when he signed a professional contract with Manchester United, making his first-team début in 1992 aged 17. During his time there, United won the Premiership title six times, the FA Cup twice, and the UEFA Champions League in 1999. He left Manchester United to sign for Real Madrid in 2003, where he remained for four seasons and was part of the La Liga winning squad in 2007. Beckham subsequently moved to the United States to play for the LA Galaxy in a move that gave him the highest salary of any Major League Soccer player in history. He has twice been runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year, and in 2004 was the world's highest-paid footballer. Beckham was also the captain of England from 15 November 2000 to 2 July 2006. He made 58 appearances as captain, and ended his tenure in that role after the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. Outside of football, he is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, a spokesman for Malaria No More and was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2003.  Brief in-the-news coverage of Soccer in the United States is also available at Sports current events.
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