The U.S. men's national team is gearing up for what could be their most exciting World Cup campaign yet. Co-hosting the 2026 edition alongside Mexico and Canada, the tournament will feature a record-breaking 48 teams, with the USA looking to make a strong impact. With the team now aware of their group stage opponents, the question on everyone's mind is: what would constitute success for the U.S. team in this expanded tournament?
A Favorable Group for the U.S.
The U.S. team finds itself in a relatively favorable group, with Australia, Panama, and a yet-to-be-determined European team (either Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo) rounding out Group D. This means the U.S. will face teams they’ve played in friendlies in recent months. However, despite this familiarity, former U.S. soccer stars Landon Donovan, Brad Guzan, and Cobi Jones are cautious, emphasizing the importance of not underestimating these opponents.
"I wouldn’t want the players to think we’ve played them before, we’ve beat them before, we’ve got this in the bag," said Cobi Jones. He pointed out that the pressure would be on coach Mauricio Pochettino to ensure the team stays focused and avoids complacency. "This onus is going to be on Pochettino to make sure they’re not going to fall into that mindset, that they walk through into the next round," he added.
Despite the relatively manageable group stage, the U.S. squad knows that winning at least two knockout round matches would be a major step toward reaching the quarterfinals—something that has become the target for many observers of the team.
The U.S.'s Path to Success: Key Matches
The U.S. will open their World Cup journey on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. In a recent friendly, the U.S. defeated Paraguay 2-1, but Donovan warns that this will be no easy match. "They're a tough out. I don’t care that they are not Brazil or Argentina. They’re going to be ready to play," said Donovan. Paraguay’s tough qualifying campaign means they won’t be easy opponents, and Guzan agrees. "There are no easy games," he emphasized, stressing the intensity of each match.
After Paraguay, the U.S. will face Australia on June 19 in Seattle. Donovan highlighted the Australian coach’s "smug" reaction to the draw, noting that he didn’t think they should feel satisfied. "They’re a solid team; hard to play against, but it’s a team that I think we should beat," Donovan said, reflecting on the 2-1 win the U.S. achieved against Australia in a recent friendly. However, the match could still prove challenging, and the U.S. will need to be fully prepared to maintain momentum.
The final group stage match for the U.S. will be on June 25 against a European team yet to be determined. If Türkiye secures the playoff spot, the U.S. will face a tough opponent, having previously lost 2-1 to Türkiye in June. Donovan emphasized the importance of not letting the match decide their qualification fate. "You cannot go into this game having it mean whether you can actually just qualify [for the knockout phase]," he said. "We cannot put ourselves in that position."
Quarterfinals: A Realistic Goal?
Despite the challenges in their group, the U.S. players and former greats are optimistic about their chances. Donovan, Guzan, and Jones all believe that a quarterfinal appearance is achievable. Guzan noted that the expanded World Cup format offers an additional game to reach the quarterfinals, making it even more attainable. "With this new World Cup, that’s like an extra game to get there. You can have some brutal matchups just in the next round," said Jones.
Donovan added that the momentum of playing at home could be a significant factor. "Momentum for a home country is very real. We’ve seen it in South Korea [in 2002], in Russia in [2018] … You can see this happening. Win the group, get a decent draw," he said. A strong group stage performance could set the U.S. up for a favorable knockout round, with a quarterfinal appearance considered a very good showing in this new format.
In conclusion, while there are obstacles ahead, the U.S. has a solid chance to not only progress from their group but also to make a deep run in the tournament. With a well-prepared squad and focused leadership from Pochettino, the U.S. could turn their home-field advantage into a significant World Cup campaign.
