Landon Donovan Says High Youth Soccer Costs Prevent Many Children From Playing Club Soccer

Landon Donovan, the all-time leading scorer for the United States Men’s National Team, said high costs of club soccer prevent many children from developing their skills. He made the comments in a recent episode of The Late Run podcast. “Growing up, there is zero chance I could have played club soccer,” Donovan said.

His mother earned $34,000 a year while raising three children as a single parent and could not pay the $4,000 fee required for club play. “Somebody let me on the team and paid for me,” he added. ” Donovan played in three FIFA World Cups and was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2023.

He began his path at IMG Academy through the U-17 national team residency program. At age 16 he signed a six-year contract with Bayer Leverkusen worth more than $1 million and was loaned to the San Jose Earthquakes to start his MLS career. Youth sports costs in the United States rose 46 percent from 2019 to 2025, according to a 2025 Aspen Institute report.

Travel soccer leagues can require families to spend up to $15,000 annually on coaching and travel, Tom Farrey, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society program, told The Athletic. Federal data show 55.4 percent of youths aged 6-17 played a sport in 2023.

The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 bars federal funding for Olympic sports, leaving organized programs to rely on fees that often fall on higher-income areas.

Donovan said the current structure misses talent. “Think about how many kids you’re missing out on in this country because they can’t afford to play the game,” he said.