Ahead of the World Cup, the series explores the rocky history of soccer in the United States

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Soccer has never exactly been America’s pastime, but from Lionel Messi’s arrival in Major League Soccer to the upcoming World Cup, it’s clear that the world’s most popular sport at least has a foothold in the U.S. Ahead of the start of the games next month, a new docuseries from Vice TV explores the rocky history of American soccer.

Soccer’s American Dream, a six-part series, airs exclusively on Vice TV. Some episodes will be available the next day on YouTube. The first episode premieres Tuesday, May 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, with new episodes weekly on Tuesdays.

To say soccer has had an up-and-down journey in the U.S. would be an understatement. The Vice series starts with the creation of the North American Soccer League in 1967, which was supposed to help popularize the sport in America. Despite attracting global talent, like Brazil’s Pelé and West Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, the league folded after just 17 seasons. Its successor, Major League Soccer, wasn’t established until 1993 as part of the U.S.’ bid to host the 1994 World Cup.

The U.S. men’s national team, meanwhile, has largely languished on the world stage; its best finish was third place in 1930, the year of the first World Cup. But the U.S. women’s national team has historically dominated, including winning four times at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The Vice series will explore how the landmark civil rights law, Title IX, paved the way for the success of the USWNT. The series also includes interviews with players from the NASL, the USWNT, and beyond. You can check out the trailer below.

“Soccer’s American Dream tells the story of a sport that refused to fail in America,” Vice TV president Pete Gaffney said in a statement. “At a time when the country is preparing to host the 2026 World Cup, this series looks back at the players, pioneers, and risk-takers who turned long odds into lasting impact – and asks what it will take for the U.S. to truly compete at the highest level.”

You can stream the series live with a subscription to Sling.