How the 1994 World Cup kicked off America's love affair with soccer

Soccer fans fill the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., prior to the World Cup final between Brazil and Italy on July 17, 1994. Lois Bernstein/AP hide caption toggle caption Lois Bernstein/AP Stay up to date with the World Cup in our Up First newsletter . The 1994 World Cup kicked off with a sold-out match. On a scorching afternoon in Chicago, some 63,000 spectators — including then-President Bill Clinton and Oprah Winfrey — were packed like sardines at Soldier Field to watch Germany vs. Bolivia. …