The knockout round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup rolls on, and Wednesday will see three more teams advance and three more teams exit the tournament after the round of 32. In the opening game, contending England will hope to end the Cinderella run of the DR Congo when the teams face off in Atlanta. … Read more
U.S. World Cup Training Base (IRVINE, Calif.) — When was the last time the U.S. men’s national team won a knockout game at a World Cup? Well, it’s been a while. At the 2002 tournament hosted by South Korea and Japan, the Americans beat rival Mexico in the round of 16 to advance to the … Read more
U.S. World Cup Team Training Base (Irvine, Calif.) — As he walked to his spot in front of the microphones and cameras before the USA’s Monday morning practice session, Folarin Balogun trailed the incomparable Lionel Messi and two other players by a single goal as the top scorer at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. By … Read more
SEATTLE STADIUM — Tyler Adams didn’t hesitate. Standing in front of a gaggle of reporters in the bowels of this packed 69,000-seat arena that had just seen the U.S. men’s national team continue what is quickly becoming a glorious 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil — the USA’s 2-0 victory over Australia on a … Read more
When the United States men’s national team defeated Paraguay 4-1 in its World Cup opener, it was the team’s best performance since its 5-1 win over Uruguay in November. When only looking at competitive games, one would have to go back years to find a performance as strong. The puzzling aspect of the U.S. team … Read more
From ageless wonders to breakout stars, the first week of the World Cup provided some outstanding performances. We’re to highlight, position by position, players who deserve some recognition after each of the 48 teams in the tournament have played a game. Matteo’s Top Performers Going with a 4-4-2 formation, there are plenty of recognizable names … Read more
It ought to come as no surprise that Folarin Balogun was inundated with congratulatory texts and direct messages in the hours and days after the most magical night of his life. The Brooklyn-born U.S. men’s national team forward scored two spectacular goals last week in his World Cup debut, helping the USA to an emphatic … Read more
Who’ll win the Golden Boot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? The race is on for who’ll score the most goals at the tournament, and it is set to be one of the tournament’s most closely watched storylines. Several of the world’s top forwards will be aiming to finish as the competition’s leading goalscorer. Kylian … Read more
LOS ANGELES STADIUM — How do you celebrate scoring twice in your World Cup debut and helping your team open the tournament with a 4-1 victory? “You know, watch some Netflix,” USA striker Folarin Balogun joked after recording half the goals in the U.S. men’s national team’s rout over Paraguay on Friday. Balogun called it … Read more
LOS ANGELES STADIUM — A day before the USA men’s national team produced its most lopsided victory in almost a century’s worth of FIFA World Cup appearances, head coach Mauricio Pochettino mentioned something that felt like a throwaway remark at the time. In their opening match of the 2026 tournament, the USA’s players “need to … Read more