The United States are one of three nations hosting the biggest tournament in FIFA World Cup history, and expectations are gradually increasing for Mauricio Pochettino’s side on home soil.
The Argentine’s reign had been rather indifferent, but an uptick in form towards the end of 2025 has pointed towards a corner being turned in the absence of key names, with Pochettino’s major tactical shift to a back three paying dividends.
USA ’94 helped birth Major League Soccer (MLS), and with the sport’s popularity surging in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, there’s scope for the long-term effects on U.S. soccer to be even more significant in the tournament’s aftermath.
Much may well depend on the extent of the USMNT’s success. The co-hosts cannot be expected to seriously compete for global supremacy, but a run similar to their 2002 campaign, when they reached the quarterfinals in Asia, will be recognized as stellar.
There’s still plenty to be decided in terms of group stage opponents and potential pathways, but here’s what we know so far regarding the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup schedule.
