The World Cup is Coming

A conversation about impact and legacy

New Jersey will be on the global stage this summer when eight games of the FIFA World Cup, including the final, will be played at MetLife Stadium. A four-member panel that included Head Soccer Coach Jim Wandling ’92, discussed the lasting implications for American soccer and the regional economy during “After the Applause: The Impact of a World Cup,” a public conservation hosted by St. Benedict’s Prep on March 10. 

 Coach Wandling shared what the legacy could look like in terms of reshaping soccer’s place in American culture. The 1994 World Cup, the first time the international tournament was played in the U.S., was pivotal because it led to the creation of Major League Soccer. The 2026 World Cup could be an “iPhone moment,” the coach predicted, a landmark event that inspires more kids to try out for soccer teams and fuels a new generation of fans. 

“After the Applause” was hosted in partnership with Latina Surge National, UNITY/Evolvere Chamber and the New Jersey Small Business Growth Council. In addition to Coach Wandling, panelists included Lauren LaRusso of the NY/NJ World Cup Host Committee; Luis De La Hoz of PNC Bank and the Statewide Hispanic Chamber; and Erik Stover, CEO of the Cosmos. The audience included members of Gray Bee Soccer, the renowned program that has amassed 16 national titles and is consistently ranked the No. 1 high school program in the country. “After the Applause” was facilitated by veteran journalist Tom Bergeron.