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Fox Sports has announced the premiere date for the documentary "Summer of '94," which explores the rise of the United States soccer team leading up to the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The film will debut at the SXSW Film Festival on March 14, followed by a broadcast on Fox on May 23.
Directed by Dave Lamontagne and Chad Walker, the documentary tells the story of the U.S. team that entered the 1994 World Cup as an underdog, lacking a professional domestic league and facing low expectations on the global stage. However, the team's performance helped ignite widespread interest in soccer across America and paved the way for the launch of Major League Soccer two years later.
The documentary features new interviews and previously unseen archival footage, some of which was filmed by the players themselves using personal cameras. Voices featured in the film include Alexi Lalas, Cobi Jones, Tony Meola, John Harkes, Marcelo Balboa, and Eric Wynalda, alongside teammates Jeff Agoos, Thomas Dooley, and Paul Caligiuri, under the leadership of coach Bora Milutinović.
The directors stated that they began the film as fans who felt this team had not received its due recognition. Although the team did not win any titles, it changed the trajectory of soccer in America. This release precedes the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with Fox Sports holding the English-language broadcast rights.
The documentary is executive produced by a team including Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, with production companies Imagine Documentaries, Delirio Films, Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios, and Copper Pot Pictures involved in its creation.