As a soccer fan, this upcoming summer is one of the most exciting there has ever been outside of a World Cup year (Except 2022. Looking at you, Qatar). Not only are we blessed with the usual UEFA European Championship as we are every four years, but we get an extra Copa America in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the event, the Centenario. Even better is the fact that this Copa America, the traditional South American international tournament, will be hosted in the United States and the best of CONCACAF will be competing with the South American teams.

Obviously, when it comes to Americans, I am a bit of an anomaly (though increasingly less so) in that I’m absolutely in love with soccer and for me those tournaments represent a month where I never have to go a moment without a match to watch. But as the game grows here at home, with MLS reaching records in attendance, viewership, and revenue, with the US Women’s National Team winning the World Cup, and with the US Men’s Team inspiring the entire country to follow the 2014 edition of the World Cup, this summer could prove a turning point for the game in the States. Many people who watched the USMNT play in Brazil were captivated as the United States overcame an incredibly difficult group by playing Germany competitively, being moments away from defeating Portugal, and defeating recent rival Ghana off the spark of a 1st minute goal from Clint Dempsey. The Men’s Team finished second in the group and advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament over Portugal and Ghana, before running into a strong, up-and-coming Belgian team and making their exit. Still, it was seen as a success to even escape such a difficult group and laid the groundwork for great expectations heading into the next World Cup cycle for Russia 2018. Those fans, while perhaps not avid soccer watchers, recognized the thrill of the game, if only for a summer. They understood the excitement, felt the appeal, and it was the first time I can remember even the most casual of sports fans keeping track of a soccer tournament. It permeated the national consciousness and left an imprint of what could be.

This summer represents an opportunity. To have teams such as Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile coming to America to play alongside the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica is exciting, and I think the general population, while not quite at World Cup levels, will sit up and take notice. On top of that, the UEFA European Championship will be playing constantly as well, featuring Germany, France, England, Italy, and Spain. It will also include many small first-timers, and if there is anything America loves in any sport, it’s an underdog. It wouldn’t shock me to see American fans to latch onto a team like Iceland or Albania as they make their first pushes into a major tournament. Regardless of what the casual fan chooses to watch, soccer will be ubiquitous, and the quality will be of the highest caliber. This is the only time outside of a World Cup where you’ll see all of the best teams playing at one time, at full strength, going for their trophies. Add in the early summer lull, when the declining baseball is the only sport on TV, with the NBA Finals ending very early into these tournaments, and you have an environment where sports fans will be seeking something to watch and they’ll have soccer to turn to.

It’s been a long time coming, and we’ve already seen the beginnings of it, but soccer is finally on the rise in America. The 2014 World Cup spurred MLS to its highest quality season in its history and the support received by the Women’s National team was astounding to watch as they marched back to the top of their side of the sport. Baseball is declining, hockey is niche, and football is currently untouchable, but basketball is next in the sights of soccer, and it is conceivable that it could end up as the second most popular sport in America. The continued development of MLS, the USWNT’s continued domination, and the upcoming youth of the USMNT will go a long way to encouraging that. But this summer could prove a huge boost to the visibility of the game and potentially a bridging point between the World Cup and the game on a domestic level for many casual fans.

So if you enjoyed watching Clint Dempsey score 30 seconds into the World Cup in 2014, if you loved watching the Women’s Team take home the title, and if you’ve thought about going to your local MLS team’s matches, take the time this summer to flip on the TV to UEFA 2016 or the Copa America. You might just find yourself impressed with the quality of soccer you’ll see, you might just find yourself a new fan.