First reported by Yahoo News New Zealand
'Country Roads' stars as unofficial US anthem at World Cup
USMNT World Cup Success Drives 20% Streaming Surge for John Denver's 'Country Roads'
By
Ava Hult
1h ago· 4 min readenNews
Summary
John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" has become an unofficial anthem for the U.S. men's national team at the 2026 World Cup, with stadium-wide singalongs after victories. The song generated nearly 1.7 million official streams after the USMNT's June 19 win over Australia, and streams jumped 20% overall. FIFA has called it one of the tournament's "defining musical moments." The article explores how the song's use at the World Cup demonstrates that decades-old music can still generate significant interest and revenue through modern sports and media exposure.
Source
bskyUSMNT World Cup Success Drives 20% Streaming Surge for John Denver's 'Country Roads'frontofficesports.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledFIFA has called the classic one of the tournament's 'defining musical moments.'
After the USMNT's June 19 victory over Australia, 'Country Roads' generated nearly 1.7 million official streams.
The song's use in the tournament is showing how music can continue to generate interest—and revenue—even decades after it was originally released.
Streams jumped 20% after a USMNT victory, while the song’s stadium use could make the 55-year-old hit more valuable.
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