Soccer is gaining popularity in St. Cloud. Here’s why.
ST. CLOUD — Take a look around Planet Fitness in St. Cloud and you'll see a flood of gym-goers wearing jerseys.
Not for the Minnesota Vikings, Wild or Twins. The bold colors on these kits stand out amid the purple-and-yellow color scheme of the gym's interior.
Man City. Bayern Munich. PSG. Juventus. Real Madrid.
These elite soccer clubs in England, Germany, France, Italy and Spain have built a world-wide fanbase, trickling down to a passionate group of supporters in a state commonly known for hockey.
Soccer is often described as "the world's game." Over 3.5 billion people watched the 2018 FIFA World Cup final between France and Croatia, about 31 times more viewers than the 2022 Super Bowl.
A trip by Whitney Park or Apollo High School on a St. Cloud summer night showcases spirited pickup games in full swing. Soccer is a dominant force in East African culture, and decades of immigration to St. Cloud from countries like Somalia has only raised the soccer talent in the area.
"Can Minnesota really support a pro team? Are we really that big of soccer fans?"
- College of St. Benedict women's soccer coach Steve Kimble
Drive 20 miles from downtown St. Cloud in any direction and you'll find four college teams, 11 high school teams and multiple club and amateur squads at every competitive level. Soccer has embedded itself into Central Minnesota's DNA.
That's what I wanted to discover with the three-part series "Growing the game: The rise of St. Cloud soccer." Every community has a unique soccer culture, and St. Cloud is no different.
But how did we get here?
Exponential growth has occurred at youth levels with more high schools, clubs and amateur leagues forming teams. A generation who grew up around the game is now hitting the coaching ranks, giving expertise at a whole new level than decades prior.
St. Cloud State added Minnesota's first Division II men's soccer program late in 2019, first hitting the pitch for an official game in 2021. Their freshman leading scorer Emmanuel Iwe has already signed a professional contract with Minnesota United of Major League Soccer, playing primarily for their "B" team before appearing against Everton of England's top division in July.
But even bringing a professional soccer team to Minnesota seemed like a gamble in 2017.
"Can Minnesota really support a pro team? Are we really that big of soccer fans?" College of St. Benedict women's soccer coach Steve Kimble remembers wondering. "I've been to many United games now, and it's absolutely an amazing experience ... I couldn't have imagined it would have gone this well."
Sellout crowds have become a common sight for Minnesota United since opening their 19,000-plus seat stadium of Allianz Field in 2019. The breathtaking facility has a special, welcoming atmosphere, something I experienced when I attended my first game there three years ago. Joining the chorus of nearly 20,000 fans singing "Wonderwall" by Oasis following each home victory is now tradition, a distinct part of the state's ever-growing soccer culture.
And the country has taken notice. Allianz Field has now hosted seismic events like U.S. Women's National Team legend Carli Lloyd's final international game. This winter it was the site of the U.S. Men's National Team's win over Honduras in the final World Cup qualifying rounds despite record-low temperatures.
More:What’s next for soccer in St. Cloud as the sport continues to grow in popularity?
That excitement from local fans isn't only reserved for the national teams. A pre-professional women's team like Minnesota Aurora has taken the Twin Cities by storm this summer, riding an 11-game win streak before finishing league runner-up and leading the USL W league in attendance.
Soccer has seen massive mainstream growth locally and internationally in the past decade. Flip on a TV nearly any day of the week and you're likely to find high-quality soccer. A six-year extension for TV rights to England's Premier League reportedly sold to NBC for over $2.7 billion last year.
But where does the game go from here? And is St. Cloud prepared to ride that same wave of popularity? Read on to see what obstacles the region faces and what's on the horizon for the growing game of soccer.
Here's the upcoming print publication schedule for "Growing the game: The rise of St. Cloud soccer." Subscribe online to read all three parts at sctimes.com.
Sunday, August 28 — Part 1: Emergence
Monday, August 29 — Part 2: Challenges
Tuesday, August 30 — Part 3: Future
Support local journalism. Subscribe to sctimes.com today.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Soccer is gaining popularity in St. Cloud. Here’s why.
