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The 2026 World Cup saw records broken in viewership and attendance as football fans from across the globe descended on the United States, Canada and Mexico for 104 matches. Spain won its second men's World Cup after a summer that featured countless storylines. A quick glance in the streets of social media at any given moment of the tournament saw new fans asking "Which Premier League team should I support?"
Not La Liga. Not Serie A. Not Liga MX. Not MLS.
There's a reason that the Premier League, or the Prem, is the one that people want to be a part of. There were 182 EPL players in the World Cup, making it the league with the most players in the competition. It is the most-watched soccer league in the world, being broadcast to 189 countries in 1.2 billion homes, the organization reports.
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To capitalize on the hype surrounding soccer, or as many in the U.S. are now calling it, football, the Premier League will host an activation called "Coast to Coast" on opening weekend of the 2026-2027 season from Friday, Aug. 21 to Monday, Aug. 24. There will be free watch parties across the United States in partnership with NBC with opportunities to engage with each club. The EPL has done other pop-ups and fan fests across the pond before, such as Premier League Mornings Live and the MLS All-Star Game has been played against various clubs. But this is the first time that all 20 clubs will be highlighted.
"We think now is an opportunity to be able to say, 'Hey, if you enjoyed (the World Cup), come and watch the best of the best competing every week in our league and the biggest clubs in the world," Akash Jain, Premier League U.S. Managing Director, told USA TODAY Sports.
Among those 182 Premier League players that participated in the World Cup was Spain's Rodri, who was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament, and Norway's viral sensation Erling Haaland. The two are teammates on Manchester City. Sorry, Haaland's BFF Jude Bellingham plays for La Liga club Real Madrid.
But Manchester City won the Premier League six times in seven years from 2017 to 2024. And if you enjoyed hearing England sing "Wonderwall" throughout the World Cup, the Gallagher brothers of Oasis are massive City supporters.
"We've got elite players across our league that were really showcased in such an exciting way during the summer,"Jain said, "and with Haaland, you saw first and foremost, he starred on the field, but he was also doing just fun, exciting things to showcase his great personality off the field."
Ed Sheeran is also a big Premier League fan who is a supporter of Ipswich Town, which was promoted this summer back to the top-tier of English football. Promotion and relegation is an element of the Premier League that creates extra excitement that might not be found in an NFL or WNBA season. Can you image if the Las Vegas Raiders got demoted?
Sheeran will be part of the "Coast to Coast" celebrations for his club. His involvement is evidence of how the Premier League is embracing various elements of culture to engage with new fans and those who are already on board.
"There's so many diverse ways to be a fan, and we want to celebrate all of those different ways," Jain said. "And it could be that you're a Premier League fan. You love the most competitive and compelling football week in and week out. You could be fans of players, fans of clubs, fans of certain kits from a fashion perspective."
Each activation is curated to align the club with the right United States city. The league emphasizes excellent quality of play, fan engagement and storytelling, which are factors that Jain learned to embrace working for the NBA and NFL.
Arsenal, which is home to England players Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka as well as Spain's clutch World Cup star Mikel Merino, kicks off the Premier League season with a match against Coventry City. The Gunners won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years last season and then appeared in the Champions League final, where they lost to Paris Saint-Germain. Denver was selected as the site for Arsenal's activation because it is one of the many sports properties, along with the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Rapids, owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.
"(Winning the Premier League) really showcased the global passionate fanbase that they have," Jain said. "... They're obviously now a key storyline as we go into next season."
Liverpool will have a pop-up in Boston at Cask 'N Flagon across the street from Fenway Park the morning before a Boston Red Sox game. Liverpool and the Red Sox are both owned by Fenway Sports Group. The Leeds United watch party will be in San Francisco because the club is owned by 49ers Enterprises Global Football Group LLC, helmed by Jed York, who also owns the San Francisco 49ers. The activation for Coventry City (a club who is also celebrating its promotion) is set to land in Detroit because both cities have a rich history in the automotive industry.
The Premier League hopes the energy from the World Cup doesn't just culminate in a memorable opening weekend, but lasts throughout the season and beyond.
"We're excited to be able to showcase competitive and compelling football every weekend," Jain said. "Elite players, the biggest clubs in the world in really vibrant stadiums with the most passionate fanbase that we have in the world, and so the opportunity for growth as we go into next season is significant."
Premier League "Coast to Coast" United States activations
- AFC Bournemouth - Tampa Bay | Sunday, August 23
- Arsenal - Denver | Friday, August 21
- Aston Villa - Chicago | Sunday, August 23
- Brentford - Atlanta | Saturday, August 22
- Brighton and Hove Albion - Kissimmee, Florida | Sunday, August 23
- Chelsea - Dallas | Monday, August 24
- Coventry City - Detroit | Friday, August 21
- Crystal Palace - New York City | Saturday, August 22
- Everton - Houston | Saturday, August 22
- Fulham - Atlanta | Monday, August 24
- Hull City - Cincinnati | Saturday, August 22
- Ipswich Town - Loop Tour | Saturday, August 22
- Leeds United - San Francisco | Saturday, August 22
- Liverpool - Boston | Sunday, August 23
- Manchester City - Washington, D.C. | Sunday, August 23
- Manchester United - New York City | Saturday, August 22
- Newcastle United - Newark | Sunday, August 23
- Nottingham Forest - Chicago | Saturday, August 22
- Sunderland - Nashville | Saturday, August 22
- Tottenham Hotspur - Austin | Saturday, August 22
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Premier League to bring all 20 clubs to U.S. in activation after 2026 World Cup
