‘What if Vanity Fair and ESPN FC had a baby?’ Footballco sets out US ambitions

Footballco reached one in three soccer fans in the US "without even trying" and is now building a dedicated team.

Lionel Messi in pink Inter Miami kit on pitch with football at his feet and hands on hips — Lionel Messi of Inter Miami prepares to perform direct free kick during MLS regular season match against Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey on 26 August 2023. Picture: Shutterstock/lev radin

Footballco’s first CEO for North America is enjoying the “luxury” of setting up a “really big, massive important business” in time for the FIFA World Cup being held in the US, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

Jason Wagenheim said the “North Star” of the newly-stepped up business is to be “the most definitive, important soccer media platform in the US come 2026” via its flagship brand Goal and women’s brand Indivisa.

Footballco saw an untapped opportunity to cover the American game including Major League Soccer, USL Championship, National Women’s Soccer League, the US national teams, and American players in the UK and Europe like Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner. The Copa America is being held in the US for only the second time this month and Wagenheim described it as a “great dress rehearsal” for the World Cup.