The US men’s national team faces a critical four-year cycle after a promising 2026 World Cup campaign ended in a last-16 defeat. With coach Mauricio Pochettino’s contract unresolved and sporting director Matt Crocker departing for Saudi Arabia, the program must navigate key tournaments and rebuild momentum.
2027: Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup
The US will return to regional competition in the 2027 Concacaf Nations League, starting in September. As a top-four team, they receive a bye to the quarter-finals, with semi-finals and final in March 2027. After winning the first three editions, the US failed to reach the 2025 final, losing to Panama and Canada. The 2027 tournament is a chance to prove their strong summer form was not an aberration.
The Gold Cup follows in summer 2027, historically a platform for fringe players. In 2019, Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie used it to break out. Pochettino’s only Gold Cup integrated Malik Tillman, Sebastian Berhalter, Alex Freeman, and Matt Freese. Players like Aidan Morris, Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, and Patrick Agyemang could use it to cement their roles. Younger talents such as Zavier Gozo, Niko Tsakiris, Adri Mehmeti, and Julian Hall may also push for inclusion.
Goalkeeper is a key concern. Matt Freese looked unseasoned against Belgium, and Matt Turner turned 32 in June. Establishing a reliable backstop by summer 2027 would allow multiple tournaments to build cohesion.
World Cup qualifying begins in November 2027, with the US entering in round two as a top-ranked team. They will be in a group of four, needing to finish first or second to advance to the final round. Failure to progress would be unacceptable.
2028: Copa América and LA Olympics
The 2028 Copa América is tentatively scheduled in the US, though no official confirmation exists. Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported that the 2024 and 2028 tournaments were awarded together. The Copa would be a vital mid-cycle test for the A-team, with starters needing to prove themselves ahead of the final qualifying stage. Players nearing 30 must perform well as younger alternatives emerge.
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will feature men’s soccer as an under-23 tournament with three over-age players. The Paris 2024 Olympics boosted Tanner Tessmann’s stock as captain. The 2028 Games could help prepare for a generational shift after the 2030 World Cup, giving rising players experience in big international matches.
2029: Concacaf qualifying, Nations League, and Gold Cup
The Nations League and Gold Cup in 2029 will serve to maintain style and vet rotational players. The US will have recent tournament performances to study from up to 46 players: 26 from Copa América and 20 from the Olympics. This deep pool will be crucial as players cycle in and out due to injuries and form.
Concacaf qualifying now features 12 teams in three groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the World Cup. The two best third-place finishers enter a play-in for an inter-confederation playoff spot. The US learned in 2018 that qualifying is not guaranteed, but the expanded field offers more margin.
The roadmap: crystallize team style and clarify the goalkeeper by end of 2027; assess the A-team at Copa América and season the next wave at the Olympics in 2028; refine combinations and build chemistry through a successful qualifying run ending in 2029. The US have a chance to build momentum well before the 2030 World Cup, provided the program makes the right coaching and backroom decisions.
