While Messi's face appears on a giant billboard in Times Square and fans in Morocco and Brazil shirts prepare for their teams' matchup at MetLife Stadium (rebranded New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament), these remain exceptions in American sports media where basketball dominates.
When the U.S. hosted the World Cup in 1994, the tournament significantly boosted football's popularity and led to the creation of MLS. Yet 30 years later, interest in the tournament's return to American soil has not reached expected levels. NBA Finals, where the Knicks lead the Spurs 3-1, generate significantly more attention than World Cup matches.
Recent polls show that half of surveyed Americans don't care about the World Cup. For football's growth in the country, this represents a missed opportunity.