Arena - eager to lift the MLS. (Allsport)

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USA coach Bruce Arena has admitted that Major League Soccer needs a good World Cup from the national team.

Arena is aware that success in Group D could lift the sport back home, which is struggling financially.

MLS, set up in the wake of USA 94, has so far failed to win significant audience share from the mainstream sports of baseball, football, basketball and ice hockey.

Two teams were lost to contraction recently but Arena believes the remaining 10 will reap the benefits if his troops advance beyond the group stage.

"If we continue to move forward and advance to the second round, for me, that's another week of media attention for our sport," Arena told www.ussoccer.com.

"I think it's a tremendous benefit if we're able to do that. It will give us momentum as we move forward and it will also help the MLS (Major League Soccer), which I think is critical."

As well as the national team helping the MLS, Arena also sees a full-time domestic league as key to his job with 12 of his 23-man squad playing their football on home soil.

"It'll continue to help what we're trying to do with our national team program," he added.

"Having said that, if we don't, and we still show well and show improvement, it'll be positive for the sport in this country.

"I think there's excitement and there's attention now for our team, we are in the media, which is not typical for the sport in America.

"I think that's a real shot in the arm for the sport."