The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is over, and for the United States Men’s National Team, the attention can finally shift fully to serving as co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup. As the hosts, the USMNT have less than a year to prepare for the tournament without the sake of having competitive matches like World Cup qualifiers to keep them sharp. Thus, the team will be playing in friendlies in the remaining windows to get ready for the biggest tournament in the world.
As we look at the next 11 months for the USMNT,
there’s a lot of preparations that are necessary to be ready for that opening match of the World Cup on June 12, 2026. It’s not just in the teams they schedule and the matches they play, but how the players and coaching staff gets mentally, physically and emotionally sharp to be on that World Cup roster that represents the host nation.
Upcoming Schedule
- September 6th vs. South Korea, NJ
- September 9th vs. Japan, Columbus
- October 10th vs. Ecuador, Austin
- October 14th vs. Australia, Denver
The USMNT already have four matches scheduled, with 2 coming in September and 2 during the October window. In September, they have lined up matches against Asian powers South Korea and Japan, who have already qualified for the World Cup. In October, they will play against Ecuador and Australia, who have both also qualified for the World Cup. Each of those teams are inside the Top 25 in the most recent FIFA world rankings, giving the USMNT, who are ranked 15th, some prime opportunities against some good teams that they could see in a group stage or knockout stage match.
After October’s matches, the USMNT have two more windows where head coach Mauricio Pochettino can bring in a full squad: November and March. It’s presumed that the USMNT will also have a January Camp friendly or two as they begin the push towards building support for the team in a World Cup year.
Gold Cup breakdown
The USMNT, despite the vibes around the team entering the tournament, made a run to the Gold Cup final, where they ultimately fell to archrivals Mexico 2-1. Despite the loss in the final, the team played to the max of their ability, and some players used the opportunity to make a case that they should be on the 26-man roster that goes to the World Cup. The Gold Cup participants who were new to the team have a special opportunity to continue a streak for the USMNT. In Gold Cups the year before a World Cup, at least one player with 5 or fewer caps on that Gold Cup roster have made the World Cup roster. This year, 11 players had 5 or fewer caps entering the Gold Cup: Max Arfsten, Chris Brady, Sebastian Berhalter, Damion Downs, Alex Freeman, Matt Freese, Quinn Sullivan, Nathan Harriel, Paxton Aaronson, John Tolkin, and Jack McGlynn. Diego Luna, Brian White, and Patrick Agyemang had 6 entering the Gold Cup, so there are plenty of players without a lot of experience that could have played themselves into consideration for the World Cup roster.
It’s time for everyone to take their game to the next level
Now that the European club seasons are about to begin, and with MLS fully in the midway point of their season, it’s time for the players to read the clock on the wall: it’s time to perform. The need to elevate their game to new heights is mandatory as the player pool begins to fight for those 26 coveted spots to represent the United States at a home World Cup. It doesn’t matter what league they’re in, what team they’re on, the players need to put themselves into the position where they are playing consistently and improving every week, every day. The veterans need to earn their spot. The new guys need to fight to get in. And, when the USMNT does come together for these friendlies, the team has to understand the pressure in front of their faces to excel is real. Every rep counts, and hopefully we see each of our players rise to the opportunity.
The coach needs to step up as well
The players are not the only people that need to improve over the next year. That falls on the head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff as well. Pochettino has been on the job since October, and under his tenure, the USMNT have yet to beat a Top 30 team. The coaching staff needs to continue to do rigorous evaluation to try and get the USMNT to be a team greater than the sum of its parts. They must have the team ready to fight for each other, for the crest, and for the millions of fans across the country who will be watching them. Finally, the tactics, substitutions, and everything about the preparation for the coaching staff will need to get better. If the USMNT is to succeed at the World Cup, every nook and cranny of the engine must be revving at max velocity. That includes Pochettino and the rest of the staff.
Recognize the opportunity to create a long-lasting legacy, and act on it.
This is a pivotal moment for U.S. Soccer and American soccer as a whole. There is an opportunity to bring millions of fans into the game and give them something to be proud about, and to build the sport across the United States in a sustainable way that carries for decades to come. People still remember the 1994 World Cup and for many, that was the moment where they became hooked onto U.S. Soccer. This is arguably more important as the 2026 World Cup will be the biggest sporting event in the history of the world. U.S. Soccer should act upon it to create the legacy that will impact future generations of fans by making the game more affordable and accessible. Lowering ticket prices is a great thing and should be celebrated, but continue to invest in people, not paywalls, to make the impact of the 2026 World Cup long lasting. That way, when the USMNT walks out onto the field at SoFi Stadium next June, a whole nation will be behind them and ready to see a motivated group take on the world.
More from starsandstripesfc.com:
- USMNT names 40-man provisional Gold Cup roster
- Landon Donovan and Jermaine Jones join US National Arena Soccer Team
- USMNT Weekly Youth Update: Sabbi strikes in the clutch
- Tyler Boyd completes one-time switch to join USMNT
- Chris Wondolowski becomes all-time MLS goal scoring leader
- USMNT May 17-19 viewing guide and open thread
- Choosing the USMNT Gold Cup roster
