USA World Cup 2026 preview: What are their odds of going deep?
This is it. The United States are co-hosting a World Cup, with action taking place on U.S. soil for the first time since 1994. Manager Mauricio Pochettino has had plenty of preparation time and will be keen to deliver with the weight of a home tournament on his shoulders. It’s one of the youngest teams the U.S. will ever use at a World Cup, with the immediate goal being to get out of Group D. They’ll be competing against Turkey, Paraguay and Australia.
USA World Cup 2026 storylines
The Road to the World Cup: How Did the USA Qualify?
Like Mexico and Canada, the United States automatically qualified for the tournament as co-hosts. Manager Mauricio Pochettino has used that time to experiment and work out which players are for him. It should be time spent wisely, and the U.S. will hope it shows when they kick off the tournament.
- The Squad: Mauricio Pochettino has included 13 players who also played for the United States at World Cup 2022 in Qatar. Gio Reyna made the cut, as did Folarin Balogun, who will lead the line.
- Prep Matches: Friendlies since the turn of the year haven’t gone well for the USA. They’ve played four, lost three, recording a solitary 3-2 victory over Senegal.
Past 5 matches for the United States
| Opponent | Date | Result |
| Germany | June 6 | 2-1 Loss |
| Senegal | May 31 | 3-2 Win |
| Portugal | April 1 | 2-0 Loss |
| Belgium | March 28 | 5-2 Loss |
| Uruguay | November 19 | 5-1 Win |
How to Bet on World Cup 2026
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How to bet World Cup 2026 live
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- Follow the match trackers, real-time odds and stats, and bet.
USA’s 2026 World Cup odds
| To win the World Cup | +6600 |
| To win Group D | +125 |
| To advance from Group D | -550 |
*Odds subject to change
Reality Check: How far can the U.S. go?
USA will first target making the Round of 32, and they should be able to. Group D will see them face Paraguay, Australia and Turkey. The first two will certainly be viewed as winnable games. Turkey will be a tougher test, but it isn’t a match the Americans can’t get a positive result from. The key f will be to harness the home support rather than feel the weight of it.
5 key players for the United States at the World Cup
- Christian Pulisic, Forward, AC Milan, Age 27
Probably the USA’s best and most important player. He’s an integral part of the attack and has the calibre from playing in Europe’s top leagues.
- Tyler Adams, Midfield, Bournemouth, Age 27
He’s the defensive rock in Pochettino’s system. The U.S. will want to attack teams, especially on home soil, so having Adams in the side is vital.
- Weston McKennie, Midfielder, Juventus, Age 27
Adams’ partner in central midfield. McKennie combines well with Adams and complements his skill set. Playing at the top level will add further quality in the middle of the field.
- Antonee Robinson, Defender, Fulham, Age 28
He’s not played as much as he’d like for Fulham this season, but brings a lot of quality and pace to the table. Scored a stunning goal in a recent friendly versus Germany.
- Folarin Balogun, Forward, AS Monaco, Age 24
The U.S. have lacked a focal point in attack for a long time, as well as a clinical finisher. In Balogun, they’ve got both. He continues to score goals consistently at club and international levels.
USA’s top players at each position
- Goalkeeper: Matt Freese – NYCFC’s first-choice keeper and now the USMNT’s first choice, too. He’s secured the role through his performances for club and country.
- Defender: Tim Ream – The U.S. have several standout options in defence, but Ream stands above because he’s involved at 38 years old and will captain the side. He leads by example, and that will be key.
- Midfielder: Tyler Adams – The USMNT will want to attack; it will be demanded of them by the home support. So Adams being in the side protecting the defence is vital.
- Forward: Christian Pulisic – He’s the best player in the squad and the most accomplished. Pulisic can be a match winner against anyone on his day.
Emerging talents for USA
- Ricardo Pepi, Forward, PSV Eindhoven
The 23-year-old is one of the most sought-after young strikers in Europe right now. His goal-scoring record for PSV has been great, and he will add firepower to the American squad.
- Malik Tillman, Midfielder, Bayer Leverkusen
At 23, he’s impressed Pochettino with his energy and technical ability. He plays as an attacking midfielder and will be one to keep an eye on this summer.
- Giovanni Reyna, Midfielder, Borussia Monchengladbach
He played at the 2022 World Cup but struggled to establish himself. He will be out to impress on home soil as an advanced midfielder, but will have to take his chance off the bench.
USA’s Group D Schedule
| Match | Date | Opponent | Location |
| Match 13 | June 12, 2026 | Paraguay | Los Angeles |
| Match 41 | June 19, 2026 | Australia | Seattle |
| Match 68 | June 25, 2026 | Turkey | Los Angeles |
USA vs. Group D opponents
USA and Paraguay have played each nine times, with the U.S. holding a 5-2-2 advantage. They last met in November 2025, with the Americans winning the friendly 2-1. They’ve met Australia on four occasions, winning twice and drawing once. They last met in October 2025, a win 2-1 in a friendly. There have been six meetings between the U.S. and Turkey, with both sides winning two games each. They last met in June 2025, a 2-1 win for Turkey.
The USA’s manager
Mauricio Pochettino, 54, was appointed in 2024. He was brought in following the Copa America group-stage exit. His CV is arguably the strongest of any manager to have led the team, and there’s hope that the Argentinian can guide USA to a strong finish on home soil.
The official USA kits
The home kit features wavy red and white stripes flowing horizontally across the entire jersey, a reference to the American flag. The away kit is carbon black with a subtle all-over star pattern. It features a metallic silver crest.
USA’s World Cup history
- Appearances: 11
- Best result: Third place (1930)
- Total goals: 40
- Top scorer at the World Cup: Landon Donovan (5)
- Most World Cup caps: Landon Donovan (12)
How did the U.S. do at the 2022 World Cup?
They exited the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after losing 3-1 to the Netherlands in the Round of 16. They drew 1-1 with Wales and 0-0 with England in Group B, with their 1-0 victory over Iran in their final group game seeing them make the knockouts.
Memorable Games for USA at the World Cup
Bert Patenaude’s hat-trick against Paraguay in 1930 was the first ever scored at a World Cup. Defeating England 1-0 in 1950 is one of the tournament’s biggest upsets. And Landon Donovan notching a stoppage-time winner against Algeria in 2010 is the modern era’s most iconic soccer moment for the U.S..
| Feature image courtesy AP Photo/Scott Kinser via Canadian Press Images. Statistics via FBRef.com, ESPN.com and 11v11.com. |
FAQs about USA at the World Cup
1 What is the United States' FIFA World Ranking?
The U.S. are currently ranked 17th by FIFA.
2 How many times have the U.S. played in the World Cup?
Including 2026, the U.S. have played in 11 World Cups.
3 What is Team USA's nickname, and what does it mean?
“The Stars and Stripes” — a reference to the American flag.
4 Who is the USA's all-time leading scorer?
Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan. They’ve both scored 57 goals for their country.
5 Who is the USA's top scorer at the World Cup?
Landon Donovan had five goals across two tournaments.
6 Who has the most caps for the U.S. in all competitons?
Cobi Jones. He has 164 caps for his country.
7 Who has the most World Cup appearances for the USA?
Landon Donovan made 12 appearances across three tournaments.
8 When will the USA play their first game at the World Cup 2026?
June 12, 2026, against Paraguay in San Francisco.
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