USA World Cup 2026 team guide

This article is portion of nan Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a practice betwixt immoderate of nan champion media organisations from nan 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is moving previews from 3 countries each time successful nan run-up to nan tourney kicking disconnected connected 11 June.

The plan

Host nations get a nonstop runway to nan tourney field, but a qualifying run would person apt helped explain nan USA’s perfect approach.

While Mauricio Pochettino has overseen immense tactical change passim his half-cycle successful charge, nan purpose is ever to clasp astatine slightest shared custody of proceedings. The USA had astir 60% of possession against lower-ranked opponents specified arsenic Paraguay, Australia, and Ecuador past autumn, while clashes pinch presumed favorites (recently: Uruguay, Japan, and Belgium) saw person to a 50/50 split. Pochettino’s longtime penchant for precocious pressing has mostly been absent successful this role, alternatively focusing connected establishing a mid-block defense to effort limiting nan opponent’s final-third touches.

In possession, nan USA useful to drawstring passing sequences up nan channel, precocious utilising a brace of attacking midfielders and a double-pivot down them to amended navigate nan mediate of nan park. Width almost wholly falls connected full-backs aliases wingbacks, pinch midfielders occasionally drifting off-center to create numerical advantages.

Despite a bladed center-back corps, Pochettino saw awesome occurrence pinch a backmost 3 and wingbacks past autumn … only to revert to a 4-2-3-1 successful a disastrous 5-2 thrashing against Belgium successful March.

Both formations mostly run nan same, pinch a 3-2-5 successful possession and a 4-4-2 aliases 5-3-2 erstwhile defending. It’s a classical predicament of personnel: will Pochettino get his squad successful its champion building pinch 5 defenders (the 5-1 triumph complete Uruguay), aliases get much of his champion players connected nan transportation successful spite of nan tactical ramifications (the Belgium bummer)?

“Belgium and Portugal have, successful nan apical 100 players, [a] fewer aliases immoderate players successful that apical 100. I deliberation we don’t person [any],” Pochettino said aft a 2-0 nonaccomplishment to Portugal. It was their last lucifer earlier his squad was named. Gulp!

While they whitethorn not beryllium world-beaters, Pochettino’s 26 picks person received the much invited WhatsApps and emails than those near disconnected nan squad. There are proven glue guys who thief nan squad sloppy of their on-field roles, and a determination for a much harmonious environment than 4 years ago. Once nan whistle blows, this group remains wished to show they tin power games much than nan bunker-and-counter iterations of bygone World Cups. All that’s near for them to do is to play successful specified a stylish mode and get results against apical opposition.

The coach

One of a fewer personage managers astatine this tournament, Mauricio Pochettino opted to trial world shot aft a grueling and thankless stint pinch Chelsea. As a player, he represented Argentina astatine nan 2002 World Cup, offering physicality and crisp tactical reference astatine center-back. He’s everlastingly a beloved fig successful immoderate parts of northbound London aft guiding Tottenham done its champion agelong of nan modern era. Appointed successful 2024 aft nan USMNT went retired successful nan groups astatine a location Copa América nether Gregg Berhalter, Pochettino is expected to return to nan nine segment pursuing this tournament.

Star player

While Pochettino and the Guardian’s voting panel person omitted him from nan apical 100 players successful nan world, Christian Pulisic is a proven match-winner for nan USA and Milan alike. The 27-year-old has been nan look of nan programme since it missed retired connected nan 2018 World Cup, base immense unit to lead nan USMNT into a brave caller era of contention alternatively than competence. This twelvemonth has been reliable for nan Hershey-born forward, goalless since past December successful each arenas. Nonetheless, his expertise to bypass opponents and group up a changeable makes him a marking privilege successful each match.

Christian Pulisic poses pinch his jersey during nan United States World Cup roster reveal. Photograph: Ira L Black/USSF/Getty Images

One to watch

Following nan exits of Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, nan USA sewage done nan 2022 rhythm pinch a striker-by-committee approach. It was a coup, then, erstwhile Folarin Balogun committed to his commencement federation complete England and Nigeria: an Arsenal-raised striker worthy much than $40m successful nan transportation market. Balogun is simply a good finisher, pinch nan requisite activity to gain tap-ins distant from opponents and nan turn-and-shoot chops to occurrence from conscionable astir anyplace wrong 25 yards pinch nan correct service. His shape pinch Monaco has fluctuated but he was mostly in-form this spring. He’s nan latest threat man to deterioration nan No 20 garment for nan USA, pursuing Brian McBride.

Unsung hero

Aside from perchance Tyler Adams, nary subordinate is much irreplaceable successful this USA roster than Chris Richards. An FA Cup victor pinch Crystal Palace successful 2025, Richards is nan surest beingness on nan backline successful nan program, a modern center-back pinch beardown protect rates connected nan crushed aliases aerially and nan scope of passing to activity into possession schemes. His nine exploits were mostly overshadowed by Marc Guéhi’s until nan England man’s departure; similarly, his business pinch Tim Ream was an unheralded spot for overmuch of this cycle. A dependable group of shifts this summertime could animate nan adjacent procreation to admit nan creation of defending.

Probable starting XI

What to expect from fans astatine games?

Optimism is successful short proviso aft nan calamitous March window, coupled pinch emotion wrung retired for each dollar pinch this World Cup’s pricing model. The rates are truthful lavish, successful fact, that it’s difficult to guarantee akin support to past tournaments pinch acold friendlier pricing models. The four-figure get-in constituent could change morale successful nan stands pinch much unit to warrant nan outlay. You cognize nan rest: red, achromatic and blue, “U-S-A! U-S-A!” and cosplayers arsenic Revolution patriots and bald eagles abound.

What’s astatine stake?

While hosting nan 1994 World Cup catalyzed this nation’s liking successful nan game, 2026 was seen arsenic a trampoline upon which nan athletics would outpouring to moreover much prominence. Domestic leagues person synced their mid-to-long-term readying pinch this summertime hoping to maximize scope to newcomers. If fans don’t flock (again: it’s insanely costly to get in) to find their section club, immoderate interest astir attrition among nan investor class.

As for nan lads connected nan field: last-16 exits successful 2010, 2014, and 2022 person near nan programme without a quarter-final showing since 2002. They were erstwhile hyped arsenic a imaginable aureate procreation and a heavy tally would make amends for an up-and-down rhythm and warrant Pochettino’s lavish wages. If not, fans will beryllium eager to get connected to nan adjacent procreation successful hopes of becoming a bona fide top-10 squad worldwide.