Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In September 1966, ITN's Alan Hart and Peter Woods reported from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean as some multi-millionaires attempted to make soccer (or football if you're English) palatable to the American public.
ITN's Hart and Woods sought British and American reactions to the new 'National Professional Soccer League' that was launching in the US which, at that time, had not been recognised by FIFA - the international body looking after the sport.
The division lasted one season. It was merged with a pre-existing division in the US. The rules of football were not changed as a consequence. The US would go on to host the World Cup in 1994, before its latest top division rebrand - Major League Soccer - was launched in 1996.
This is the story of how soccer came to America, with the help of many Brits... 16 years after the US beat England in the 1950 World Cup.
To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/film?phrase=X21096602*&sort=oldest&suppressfamilycorrection=true&suppressphrasecorrection=true&license=rf%2Crr&phraseprocessing=excludenaturallanguage
To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/footage/itn
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel (tap the bell icon and stay up to date with all the latest ITN Archive videos!) - youtube.com/@FrontlinebyITN
🎥 Follow us on Twitter - twitter.com/ITNArchive
🎥 Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/ITNArchiveITNP
🎥 Check out our TikTok - tiktok.com/@itnarchive1955
In September 1966, ITN's Alan Hart and Peter Woods reported from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean as some multi-millionaires attempted to make soccer (or football if you're English) palatable to the American public.
ITN's Hart and Woods sought British and American reactions to the new 'National Professional Soccer League' that was launching in the US which, at that time, had not been recognised by FIFA - the international body looking after the sport.
The division lasted one season. It was merged with a pre-existing division in the US. The rules of football were not changed as a consequence. The US would go on to host the World Cup in 1994, before its latest top division rebrand - Major League Soccer - was launched in 1996.
This is the story of how soccer came to America, with the help of many Brits... 16 years after the US beat England in the 1950 World Cup.
To license the footage featured in this clip, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/search/2/film?phrase=X21096602*&sort=oldest&suppressfamilycorrection=true&suppressphrasecorrection=true&license=rf%2Crr&phraseprocessing=excludenaturallanguage
To search the ITN Archive collection on Getty Images, follow the link below:
gettyimages.co.uk/footage/itn
🎥 Subscribe to our YouTube channel (tap the bell icon and stay up to date with all the latest ITN Archive videos!) - youtube.com/@FrontlinebyITN
🎥 Follow us on Twitter - twitter.com/ITNArchive
🎥 Like us on Facebook - facebook.com/ITNArchiveITNP
🎥 Check out our TikTok - tiktok.com/@itnarchive1955
