For the type of U.S.national men’s team fan who’s mainly plugged into the American squad during World Cups, it may come as a surprise to learn how much tension there is between some of the program’s all-time greats and the U.S. players who will kick off the 2026 tournament against Paraguay on Friday. This friction … Read more
No more friendlies. No more tune-ups. Next up for the United States after games against Senegal and Germany: the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There are positives and negatives to take away from a 3-2 win over Senegal and a 2-1 loss to Germany. Two former USA World Cup players (Maurice Edu in 2010 and Walker … Read more
Top defender Chris Richards participated in his first full practice with the U.S. World Cup team on Monday when the Americans reported to their training base in Southern California. Richards tore two left ankle ligaments while playing for Crystal Palace on May 17, and he missed the Americans’ two friendlies over the past week. He … Read more
Ever wonder how World Cup players get their numbers? There are actually rules and parameters regarding how each of the 26 players on the 48 teams at this summer’s soccer extravaganza get assigned the numbers on their jerseys. Rules For Kit Numbers Matt Turner, one of the USA’s goalkeepers, with the No. 1 jersey. (Photo … Read more
Soldier Field (CHICAGO) — As the American and German players filed out of their locker rooms toward the buses following Saturday’s exhibition match, the air of excitement was impossible to ignore. Next stop for both teams? The 2026 FIFA World Cup. For the United States men’s national team, this moment has been eight years in the … Read more
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever in numerous ways. It will have 48 teams playing across 16 cities in three co-host countries, all the most ever in World Cup history. Those 48 teams are divided into 12 groups of four with each team playing its group stage opponents for a total … Read more
Soldier Field (CHICAGO) — There are no more World Cup warm-ups for the U.S. men’s national team. Nothing left to do but blow the whistle next Friday and see how the team stacks up at the 48-team tournament it is co-hosting. Saturday’s defeat to Germany was the final pre-World Cup preparation match for a USA … Read more
There were plenty of bright spots for the United States men’s national team in their 2-1 loss to No. 10-ranked Germany on Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago: Antonee Robinson’s wonder strike, Christian Pulisic’s confidence and the play from the fullbacks. However, the jury is still very much out on the situation in goal with … Read more
Thirty-two years ago, many fans in the global soccer community saw the United States planning to host its first FIFA World Cup in 1994 and asked one collective question: Why? At the time, the United States men’s national team was a largely anonymous squad of unknown players wearing now-nostalgic denim uniforms. In mainstream America, soccer did … Read more
The U.S. men’s national team and Mexico enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup as two of the three co-hosts, meaning both will look to capitalize on home-field advantage in what’s to become the biggest sporting event in North America’s history. The World Cup will be Mauricio Pochettino’s first major international tournament since being appointed USA’s … Read more