‘It’s Called Soccer!’ Highlights Sport’s Growth In U.S.

Gary Neville visited the United States for the first time in 1994, his first season as Manchester United’s top left back. Nearly a decade later in 2003, Neville returned as the Red Devils embarked on their first U.S. preseason tour in more than 20 years.

While the eight-time Premier League champion and two-time UEFA Champions League winner has been an occasional visitor to the U.S., the former England defender who made 602 appearances for United didn’t overlook the game’s growth across the pond.

“If you think about the last 20 years and what’s happened, it’s a monumental change,” Neville said. “… I come back every so often so I can see and feel the difference more than people who live here and are in it.”

With football fandom at an all-time high in the U.S. and the global game’s gaze fixated on the country and continent in the buildup to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and beyond, Neville, Jamie Carragher and Rebecca Lowe launched “It’s Called Soccer!” a new digital series/podcast.

Akin to “Cris Collinsworth and Tony Romo doing an NFL podcast for a British audience,” according to Lowe, “It’s Called Soccer!” isn’t just three Brits talking about the Premier League to an American audience, the digital series puts as much, if not more emphasis on soccer in the U.S. as it does abroad.

The series has already welcomed new USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, Portland Timbers manager Phil Neville, former USWNT star/Bay FC owner Brandi Chastain and former striker Robbie Keane, who won three MLS Cups with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Kicking off on September 18, “It’s Called Soccer!” is supported by Neville’s media channel, The Overlap, with Buzz16, part of Miroma Group, co-producing the series. Wave Sports + Entertainment will oversee sales and distribution in the U.S.

“I don’t even like podcasts,” Neville said after filming earlier this month at Carragher’s in New York City. “I know podcasts are obviously very popular and there’s millions of them globally, but I set up doing The Overlap from a point of actually wanting to do in-person interviews and having conversations with other people who are passionate about football, played football, club owners, etc and that was my passion.

“I actually feel better when we’re on camera because you can see the connection with people. I feel better when I can see people and visualize where they’re coming from and sort of feel their energy. I don’t feel we’re a podcast. I feel we’re a TV program that exists not on a broadcast platform. That’s how I view it. I don’t view it as a podcast, but I get why the market calls it a podcast.”

Regardless of how the series is classified doesn’t discredit the fact that three preeminent English soccer voices are focusing their attention, analysis and expertise on the United States.

Originally from London, Lowe moved to the U.S. in 2013 to anchor NBC Sports’ Premier League coverage; she’s also fronted coverage of six Olympic Games for the network as well. A former Champions League winner during his 17 seasons with Liverpool, Carragher is known to American audiences through his work with CBS Sports covering the UEFA Champions League.

Despite soccer being more accessible for U.S. audiences to consume than ever before, “It’s Called Soccer!” doubles down on the game’s growth in the States, highlighted by thriving domestic leagues (MLS, NWSL, USL), major tournaments coming to the country and continent (2024 Copa América, 2025 FIFA Club World Club, 2026 FIFA World Cup) and, of course, Lionel Messi’s arrival to Inter Miami CF and MLS last year.

“I think there’s a big gap in the market,” Lowe said. “I feel we caught that at a really good time. When Gary called me, I thought it was a really good idea. There’s definitely a spot for it, there’s definitely an audience for it and it’s the perfect time with the World Cup in a couple of years.”

As both the USMNT and USWNT look to reinvigorate fans’ excitement following the hirings of Pochettino and Emma Hayes, who already guided the USWNT to gold at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, the trajectory for soccer is only increasing in the U.S.

While that most likely doesn’t equate to the men’s national team winning a World Cup in this lifetime, both Lowe and Neville are bullish on the future of the sport in the States.

“Make no mistake, this country with its facilities, attitude to life and sport, and its wealth should be the best in the world at some point,” Lowe said. “It should be the best in the world at virtually everything it does. Because it started so late, it’s not happening in our lifetime, but it will one day be the best in the world, no doubt about it.”