Arsène Wenger, FIFA’s head of global football development, highlighted several structural challenges the US faces in becoming a soccer powerhouse. However, he noted that leadership at the US Soccer Federation and Major League Soccer is addressing many of these obstacles.

During a roundtable discussion on Thursday with US Soccer CEO JT Batson and COO Dan Helfrich, Wenger praised the federation’s new $250 million headquarters in Fayetteville, Georgia, stating, “I feel it’s important for every footballer, somewhere, to feel you’re at home.”

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“We push, with the support of our president [Gianni Infantino], a lot to develop football in the States,” Wenger said, emphasizing the importance of diversity and talent in a nation of 350 million people. “We [at FIFA] are working together to give a chance to everybody to develop the game and to love the game.”

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However, Wenger cautioned that significant work remains to be done on the pitches surrounding the complex. He remarked that there had been “no alignment on the global policy of technical development” in the United States until recently. Wenger stressed that, given the vast geography and varied soccer ecosystem, decisions on advancement should come from the federation rather than FIFA.

Wenger also criticized the US youth soccer development system, particularly the pay-to-play model, which can impose costs of tens of thousands of dollars on families. “From outside, I felt that people from a poor background had no real access to the game,” he said, noting that many successful players typically emerge from less fortunate circumstances. “So maybe there’s a job to do there to make it possible and available for everybody and, after, to be consistent because it’s not a short-term fix.”

Wenger compared the current initiative, which has led teams in MLS, the United Soccer League (USL), and other leagues to start free-to-play academies for elite players, to efforts in France decades ago. He recalled, “I was part of the opening of the first academies in France and it took 10 years. In 1973, the first academy opened in France. By 1984, France won the European Championship. You have to be consistent, and one of the most neglected aspects is the identification of talent. It requires a discerning eye, education, and an unwavering commitment to provide opportunities for young players.”

Before the conversation turned, Batson emphasized the challenges ahead.

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“This will take time and it will be hard, and you have to commit and really stick to it,” Batson said. “And I think that is our commitment, to do that. But ultimately, this requires resources.”

“It’s not a coincidence that the teams that have gone the furthest in this tournament are some of the best-resourced federations in the world. They can ensure access, opportunity, great coaching, and strong support from government, community, and professional clubs. Everyone is working together with a shared mission to make this happen. I think that’s the opportunity we have coming out of the summer.”

Helfrich added that making youth programs more accessible would necessitate establishing a new “system” rather than merely adjusting costs in the existing setup. “We are not seeking to make the current system more affordable; we’re trying to create a new system that then we make highly affordable,” Helfrich explained. “It’s a really important distinction … We need a different system. We need a system that has the pathway open to more players.”