Henry Bushnell(@HenryBushnell):Lots of youth soccer discourse in the aftermath of the USMNT's World Cup exit. So, I wrote about "pay-to-play" — what it actually is, why it's a problem, why it's different in the U.S. vs. elsewhere, and why the real issue is "pay-to-travel-and-play":

Henry Bushnell

@HenryBushnell

Senior ⚽ writer, @TheAthletic. Now at... Email: hbushnell@theathletic.com Signal: henrybushnell.03

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Henry Bushnell@HenryBushnell

2026.07.10 13:46

Lots of youth soccer discourse in the aftermath of the USMNT's World Cup exit. So, I wrote about "pay-to-play" — what it actually is, why it's a problem, why it's different in the U.S. vs. elsewhere, and why the real issue is "pay-to-travel-and-play":