Preview of 2026 FIFA World Cup in USA – Pochettino looks for glory with the Stars and Stripes

It’s been 32 years since the US played a FIFA World Cup on home soil. The USMNT reached the Round of 16 in 1994 and heads into the 2026 edition with great optimism as it looks set to improve on this performance this time around.

Having established themselves as a fixture on international football’s biggest stage, The Stars and Stripes signaled their ambitions to compete more seriously with the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino to replace the outgoing Gregg Berhalter.

Pochettino – who has experience at the top of the European club game with Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain – has been put in charge of making the US more competitive at the top level and introducing a more dynamic style of play.

He has a youthful and exciting player pool to support his ambitions. AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic, the lynchpin in this side, looked almost capable of putting on a show in national colors regardless of his club form, and he is coming into this tournament well in Italy. On the positive side for USA, his club form has been strong in the medium term and he had a brilliant first half of the 2025/26 season, although his form dipped in the second half.

Joining Pulisic will be the likes of Folarin Balogun, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah, Chris Richards and Tyler Adams, all of whom have competed with aplomb at the top level of European football (although a season-ending injury means Richards is doubtful for the tournament).

Richards’ injury is all the more important because conceding goals has been something of an Achilles heel for this team. While it generally dominated the ball against weaker opposition, it often left something to be desired when coming up against stronger opposition.

Expectations will be tempered somewhat by comprehensive friendly defeats to Portugal and Belgium during the last international break, a reminder of the distance Pochettino and Co still have to cover.

However, much optimism can be derived from the fact that the country recently defeated both Australia and Paraguay in friendlies and finds itself in a group that lacks traditional World Cup heavyweights.

With a relatively favorable draw, plenty of domestic support and a squad packed with potential, the chances of the Stars and Stripes putting on a good show are as good as ever.

Player to watch out for: Christian Pulisic (USA)

Christian Pulisic has been synonymous with US success in recent times, and with the home crowd backing him, the American captain will be keen to use his intricate dribbling and creativity to push his team into strong performances.

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

Bringing in a manager with as much experience in European football as Mauricio Pochettino was a strong statement of ambition from the USMNT, and it will be hopeful that the Argentine can take things to new heights this summer.

However, his contract expires after the World Cup and he has been linked with the vacant AC Milan job, and it will be hoped that concerns over his future do not divert attention from the tournament.

Published on June 6, 2026