The plan

Host nations get a direct runway to the tournament field, but a qualifying campaign would have likely helped clarify the US’s ideal approach. 

While Mauricio Pochettino has overseen immense tactical fluctuation throughout his half-cycle in charge, the aim is always to retain at least shared custody of proceedings. The US had around 60% of possession against lower-ranked opponents such as Paraguay, Australia, and Ecuador last autumn, while clashes with presumed favorites (recently: Uruguay, Japan, and Belgium) saw closer to a 50/50 split. His longtime penchant for high-pressing has largely been absent in this role, instead focusing on establishing a mid-block defense to try limiting the opponent's final-third touches.

In possession, the US works to string passing sequences up the channel, recently utilising a pair of attacking midfielders and a double-pivot behind them to better navigate the heart of the park. Width almost entirely falls on full-backs or wing-backs, with midfielders occasionally drifting off-center to create numerical advantages. Despite a thin center back corps, Pochettino saw great success with a back-three and wing-backs last fall…only to revert to a 4-2-3-1 in a disastrous 5-2 thrashing against Belgium in March. It’s a classic predicament: will Pochettino get his team in its best structure with five defenders (5-1 win over Uruguay), or get more of his best players on the pitch in spite of the tactical ramifications (the Belgian bummer)? 

“Belgium and Portugal have, in the top 100 players, [a] few or some players in that top 100. I think we don’t have [any],” Pochettino said after a 2-0 loss to Portugal. It was their final match before his squad was named. Gulp!

The coach 

One of a few celebrity managers at this tournament, Mauricio Pochettino opted to test international soccer after a grueling and thankless stint with Chelsea. As a player, he represented Argentina at the 2002 World Cup, offering physicality and sharp tactical reading at center back. He’s forever a beloved figure in north London after guiding Tottenham through its best stretch of the modern era. Appointed in 2024 after the USMNT was grouped at a home Copa América under Gregg Berhalter, Pochettino is expected to return to the club scene following this tournament. 

Star player 

While Pochettino has omitted him from the top 100 players in the world, Christian Pulisic is a proven match-winner for the US and Milan alike. The 27-year-old has been the face of the program since it missed the 2018 World Cup, bearing immense pressure to lead the US men into a brave new era of contention rather than competence. 2026 has been tough for the Hershey-born forward, goalless from January into mid-May in all arenas. Nonetheless, his ability to bypass opponents and set up a shot makes him a marking priority in every match.

One to watch 

Following the exits of Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, the US got through the 2022 cycle with a striker-by-committee approach. It was a coup, then, when Folarin Balogun committed to his birth nation over England and Nigeria: an Arsenal-raised striker worth over $40m in the transfer market. Balogun is a fine finisher, with the requisite movement to earn tap-ins away from opponents and the turn-and-shoot chops to fire from just about anywhere inside 25 yards with the right service. His form with Monaco has fluctuated but he was largely in-form this spring. He’s the latest dangerman to wear the #20 shirt for the US, following Brian McBride and a young Landon Donovan.

Unsung hero 

Aside from possibly Tyler Adams, no player is more irreplaceable in this US roster than Chris Richards. An FA Cup-winner with Crystal Palace in 2025, Richards is the surest presence along the backline in the program, a modern center-back with strong defensive rates on the ground or aerially and the range of passing to work into possession schemes. His club exploits were largely overshadowed by Marc Guéhi until the latter’s departure; similarly, his partnership with Tim Ream was an unheralded strength for much of this cycle. A dependable set of shifts this summer could inspire the next generation to appreciate the art of defending.

Probable starting XI

(3-4-2-1): Freese; McKenzie, Richards, Ream; Dest, Adams, McKennie, A Robinson; Tillman, Pulisic; Balogun

What to expect from fans at games? 

Optimism is in short supply after the calamitous March window, coupled with feeling wrung out for every dollar with this World Cup’s pricing model. The rates are so lavish, in fact, that it’s hard to guarantee similar support to past tournaments with far friendlier pricing models. The four figure get-in point could alter morale in the stands with more pressure to justify the outlay. You know the rest: red, white and blue, “U-S-A! U-S-A!” and cosplayers as Revolution patriots and bald eagles abound. 

What's at stake? While hosting the 1994 World Cup catalyzed this nation’s interest in the game, 2026 was seen as a trampoline upon which the sport would spring to even more prominence. Domestic leagues have synced their mid-to-long-term planning with this summer hoping to maximize reach to newcomers. If fans don’t flock (again: it’s insanely expensive to get in) to find their local club, some worry about attrition among the investor class.

This article is part of JoySports' collaboration with The Guardian. The cooperation enables readers to access team news, previews, and more from all 48 teams that qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026.