FOX Sports, Imagine Documentaries & Delirio Films Announce Summer of ’94 Premiering May 23 on FOX
Film Chronicles Rise of Iconic 1994 U.S. Men’s National Team
Before Bursting onto Scene at 1994 FIFA World Cup USA™
Story Told Through the Voices of U.S. Soccer Legends Alexi Lalas, Cobi Jones,
Tony Meola, John Harkes, Marcelo Balboa, Eric Wynalda, Jeff Agoos,
Thomas Dooley, Paul Caligiuri and Head Coach Bora Milutinović
LOS ANGELES – FOX Sports, America’s English-language home for FIFA World Cup 2026™, announces today alongsideImagine Documentaries, Delirio Films, DICK’S Sporting Goods’ Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios and Copper Pot Pictures, the new original documentary feature SUMMER OF ’94 chronicling the rise of the U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) leading up to the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA™.
Premiering Saturday, May 23 on FOX, the film highlights the wild journey of the 1994 USMNT, a unique group of players led by an unlikely coach who endured a grueling two-year training camp, with no professional league and no roadmap, hoping simply not to embarrass their nation at the first-ever modern World Cup hosted on American soil. Instead, they inspired millions of fans and left a lasting legacy on the sport.
SUMMER OF ’94 will have its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival on Saturday, March 14, at 9:15 PM CT at the Rollins Theatre as part of the Documentary Spotlight, Documentary Feature program.
"SUMMER OF ’94 brilliantly captures the dramatic turning point of soccer’s popularity in America and the inspiring 1994 U.S. men’s team," said Barry Nugent, Vice President, Development & Original Programming, FOX Sports. "The 1994 World Cup changed the trajectory of the sport forever and this film tells the unfiltered story about a group of players who came together under impossible circumstances and helped put U.S. soccer on the global stage. As we look ahead to FIFA World Cup 2026™ across North America, FOX Sports is proud to partner with Imagine Entertainment and the filmmakers to bring audiences a powerful reminder of where it all began."
Armed with camcorders, the 1994 U.S. players and their coach documented it all, capturing raw moments as the underdogs grew into future legends. Featuring never-before-seen footage and new interviews with soccer legends and FOX Sports analysts Alexi Lalas and Cobi Jones, alongside Tony Meola, John Harkes, Marcelo Balboa, Eric Wynalda, Jeff Agoos, Thomas Dooley, Paul Caligiuri, head coach Bora Milutinović and more, the film reveals how chaos, chemistry, coaching and grit forged a brotherhood that helped carve a new path for U.S. soccer and set the stage for a successful soccer moment in America accompanied by the rise of Major League Soccer.
"When we started this film, we were simply fans who felt this team never got its due," said Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker, Directors, Copper Pot Pictures. "They didn’t lift a trophy, but they changed the sport in America. What struck us most was how much they were figuring out in real time, with no league, no blueprint and no guarantees. The footage they captured puts you inside that experience with them as they chose to believe in each other before anyone else did."
When FIFA awarded the 1994 World Cup to the United States, the global soccer community was stunned. More than three decades later, U.S. soccer once again stands at a defining moment. In 1994, the goal was to prove they belonged, today the expectations are far greater. As the global sport prepares to return to North America, SUMMER OF ’94 serves as a timely reminder of the resilience and resolve that built the foundation for the modern American game with a premiere date on FOX just 19 days before FIFA World Cup 2026™ kicks off Thursday, June 11.
"My dad took me to see the U.S. play Colombia at the Rose Bowl in the summer of ’94 and I never forgot that feeling of pride in watching these guys compete," said Marc Gilbar, President of Imagine Brands, IP, and Partnerships. "It’s an honor to partner with FOX Sports to bring their story to life alongside the tournament’s momentous return to North America."
"At Delirio, we’re inspired by stories that have shaped who we are as a culture, and the story of the ’94 U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team is one of the most important and defining untold chapters in American sports history," said Christopher Leggett, Partner, Delirio Films. "It’s both a blast and a profound honor to be working with these legendary players. Revisiting this once-in-a-lifetime experience with them has been an absolute thrill, and we can’t wait to share it with fans across the world."
SUMMER OF ’94 is executive produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Sara Bernstein, Amanda Farrand, Meredith Kaulfers, Justin Wilkes, Josh Greenbaum, Kaitlin March, Nick Dunn, Ewan Watt, Rebecca Covington, Mark Rooks, Frank Igrec, Richard Motzkin of Wasserman, and Carie Goldberg Trutanich of Gold Standard Sports & Entertainment, along with Eric Shanks, Brad Zager and Nugent of FOX Sports. Samantha Apfel serves as co-producer. The film is produced by Christopher Leggett, Rafael Marmor, Marc Gilbar, Dave LaMattina, and Chad Walker. This deal was negotiated by Robert Benun of BenunLaw on behalf of Lalas, Jones, Motzkin, and Goldberg Trutanich. The film is directed by Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker of Copper Pot Pictures ("I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story", "We Must Go").
SUMMER OF ’94 is produced by Imagine Documentaries in partnership with Stand Together and Cookie Jar & A Dream Studios. Through these partnerships, the film supports the "Yes, Coach!" initiative, which encourages more individuals to step into coach-mentor roles and invest in young people both on and off the field.
FOX Sports Films is dedicated to presenting captivating global sports documentaries through an unconventional and entertaining lens. Working with FOX Sports’ league and conference partners, the brand produces original programming, connecting live sports events to sports culture.
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