With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, there has been lots of buzz about a big year from the US National Team, and I think a deep tournament run is definitely possible.

Looking Back: Qatar 2022

First, let’s go back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This was a vital year for the national team as, coming off the failure to qualify for 2018 in Russia, all eyes were on the US to see how they would bounce back. The US was put into a relatively easy group, but one with a lot of US history included. The US was placed in Group B, with other countries being Wales, England, and Iran. What looked like an easy group actually ended up being rather tough, with the US having a goal differential in the group stage of only +1, and only scoring twice. While two goals were not a lot, it was still enough to send the team to the knockout stage, which unfortunately ended with a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands. After the tournament, lots of questions needed to be answered, like: Was Greg Berhalter the right guy for the job? And would the US ever really be able to compete for a World Cup?

Coaching Change: Mauricio Pochettino

The answer to the first question was an obvious no, as Berhalter was let go and replaced by former Argentine national player, Mauricio Pochettino. Pochettino’s hiring was met with a mix of emotions, and early on, it looked rough with the US putting up disappointing results, including losses to teams like Panama and Mexico. However, Pochettino has been able to turn this team around, and both results and confidence in the team have improved massively.

How is the 2026 World Cup Looking?

As the World Cup continues to get closer, a big year is expected from the US. With the US being one of the three host nations (US, Canada, and Mexico), the team will be able to play on home soil in front of rowdy American fans. The US has also been blessed with a phenomenal group stage draw, joining Group D with Australia, Panama, and the winner of the Path C tournament, which could be either Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkey, or Romania. There are no real powerhouses in this group, which could allow for a relatively easy path to the knockouts for the USMNT.

Even though these teams are not true powerhouses, they could still give the US a scare. According to the FIFA rankings, the US comes in at 14, Turkey at 25, Australia at 26, and Panama at 30. Personally, I could see the US winning this group, especially if Turkey fails to advance. However, do not be surprised if the US has a lot of close and uncomfortable games.

The one huge advantage the US has in this tournament is home-field advantage, especially in Group D, where their schedule could not be much better. Here is how it looks:

• 6/12/2026 – United States vs Paraguay – Inglewood (LA), California

• 6/19/2026 – United States vs Australia – Seattle, Washington

• 6/25/2026 – United States vs Path C winner – Inglewood (LA), California

With this being the biggest World Cup ever, some teams that finish 3rd in their group will also advance based on goal differential. If the US advances, their first-round knockout games will be hosted in:

• Foxborough, MA (3rd place)

• East Rutherford, NJ (3rd place)

• Santa Clara, CA (1st place)

• Arlington, TX (2nd place)

• Kansas City, Kansas/Missouri (3rd place)

The US will always have a huge home-field advantage, wherever they play, and that could play a huge factor in team success.

Players

While home-field advantage is a big deal, nothing is more important than who is actually playing. The US has some of the most talented players we have had in years, with guys playing in top leagues in Europe, not just riding the bench but actually having a huge impact.

For example, winger Christian Pulisic, who many have claimed is “the LeBron James of Soccer,” has been on fire in Italy. He is currently leading Serie A in goals with seven, while having a great minutes-per-goal ratio of 64, which is half the time it takes the only other player in Serie A with seven goals, Lautaro Martinez.

Pulisic is not the only player in great form. Guys like Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun have also been excellent. Balogun has scored in his last UEFA Champions League games, which is incredible for anybody and exactly the type of play the National Team needs in high-pressure situations like the World Cup and the UCL.

The US has its stars, but there are still some question marks, like whether new star Diego Luna will get a spot on the roster, and the options at goalkeeper. Overall, though, the US should field a team that is incredibly competitive.

Under Pochettino, the US has mainly run a 3-4-2-1, 4-2-3-1, and 4-3-3. In my opinion, I would count on a 4-3-3, or at least that is what I am picking for this article. Here is what the starting XI could look like next summer:

• GK: Matt Freese

• LB: Antonee Robinson

• CB: Chris Richards

• CB: Tim Ream

• RB: Serginio Dest

• Midfield: Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman, Weston McKennie

• LW: Christian Pulisic

• ST: Folarin Balogun

• RW: Ricardo Pepi

No big surprises here except Pepi, who I would like to get the start over Weah. But you never know, especially in a tournament like the World Cup, where Weah does have experience. Overall, the US roster looks solid, especially with depth pieces we did not talk about, like Diego Luna, Leeds midfielder Brendan Aaronson, Yunus Musah, Joe Scally, and Haji Wright. All these players could play huge roles for the USMNT and help lead them to a great tournament.

Predictions

Obviously, I would love to see the US go far in this tournament, and I do see that happening to an extent. Here are my predictions:

• United States vs Paraguay = W 2-1

• United States vs Australia = W 3-0

• United States vs Path C winner = D 1-1

I think the US leaves the group with 7 points and advances to the knockout stage, where they would play a team who finished 3rd in the group stage. I think the US would pull away for another win, advancing to the Round of 16, where they would likely face Belgium. This is where I have the US exiting the tournament.

I think the US is set to really surprise some people this year. Who knows, Belgium is not in their best form, so the US could even go further. But realistically, I do think the World Cup will be super fun to watch for fans of the United States.