Home Soil, Dream Draw, No Excuses - The 2026 World Cup Is America's to Lose
Spanning 16 cities across three countries, the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is unlike anything the sports world has ever seen.
The tournament runs from June 11 to July 19 and features 104 total matches across 39 days in an expanded 48-team format that’s already setting records as the biggest tournament to date.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently called it “104 Super Bowls.”
On Monday, soccer icon and former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas went on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd and issued the American team a blunt warning.
“Ultimately, when it comes to this team, we should expect more from this U.S. team than we ever have in the past, and I don’t think that’s irrational or unfair,” Lalas said. “This is a generation that’s been given absolutely everything from a very young age, and with that comes higher expectations. America, you should expect your team to win this group.”
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Team USA enters the tournament as the top-seeded team in Group D, with competitive matches against Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey.
Their journey kicks off against Paraguay on June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) in Inglewood, California.
Veteran defender Tim Ream is the captain, while Christian Pulisic headlines with 84 caps and 32 goals.
The squad mixed 13 returners from the 2022 World Cup with 13 first-timers and ranks as the fifth-youngest team the USA has ever sent to a World Cup.
So, is a deep run realistic? Absolutely.
The consensus among analysts is that the U.S. should top Group D. Their toughest test is likely going to be Turkey, a team that already beat the Americans a year ago in a friendly. But Team USA is already listed as the favorites in all three matchups.
Win the group, and under the new expanded format, they’d be in the new Round of 32, playing a team they’re better than, as Lalas noted, something that’s never happened in U.S. men’s World Cup history.
Survive that, and suddenly, you’re back to the Round of 16, where, with the home crowd (and a bit of luck) on your side, there’s a real shot to go on a historic run.
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Three group stage exits in five World Cups is a track record this team can no longer afford.
A young, loaded roster. Home field. A format built for advancement. Every variable that’s ever worked against this program has flipped, which means the only thing standing between Team USA and a deep tournament run is Team USA.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 9:07 PM.