World Cup 2026

[StillAWarrior]

I figured we'd need this thread.

I'm a casual soccer fan - at best - but I do enjoy watching the World Cup. HBO is doing a good documentary series that followed Team USA for the last several years. For someone who doesn't really know a lot of the players and stories, it's been a good (re)introduction to the team. It's really made my wife and I look forward to the World Cup this summer.

Most of the series was obviously put together before the final roster was set, but I'm guessing (hoping) they're going to have a final episode that they put together revealing the final roster.

After watching the most recent episode, it raised a question in my mind: why isn't Diego Luna on the roster? Like I said...I don't follow that closely, so I honestly don't know. He seemed like he was pretty solid in Gold Cup matches.

[pbiflyer]

$350 for nosebleeds at bad games in Miami, $1000 for nosebleeds for good games.
Parking over $100, Uber rumored to be similar.
Will watch on TV at a bar. Okay, will drink at a bar while some of the games are on.

[Its DJOver]

After watching the most recent episode, it raised a question in my mind: why isn't Diego Luna on the roster? Like I said...I don't follow that closely, so I honestly don't know. He seemed like he was pretty solid in Gold Cup matches.

Because Poch is infatuated with Roldan. I can see the logic, I just don't agree with it.  Think there was room for both.  Personally would have left Arfsten home. You've already got Dest, Jedi, Scally, Freeman at FB, plus Weah has experience at WB if you're running a 3-5-2.  Midfield is the obvious thin point in roster construction, CB is the obvious thin point in quality.  Both the floor and ceiling are significantly lowered without Richards, we'll see how his ankles look.

[cheebs09]

I haven't been this meh about a World Cup in awhile, so I know little about the US team. What are our expectations? Get out of the group and maybe win one game from there?

[Hards Alumni]

I haven't been this meh about a World Cup in awhile, so I know little about the US team. What are our expectations? Get out of the group and maybe win one game from there?

Typical US expectations.  IMO, that is best cast scenario.  Luckily, our grouping isn't too bad.

[MU82]

The concept of COLE was pretty much invented by followers of the US men's World Cup team.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Diego Luna just isn't quite good enough.  Besides, the bottom 5-8 players will never play any meaningful minutes anyway. So, even if he made the roster, Luna wouldn't really be a factor.

Roldan probably won't play much either, but he's an older player with great intangibles that also made the 2022 World Cup roster.

Adams, McKennie, Tillman, Reyna, Berhalter, and Aaronson can all play centrally.  So, I think midfield depth is ok, even though I would have preferred Tanner Tessman over a 5th CB like Miles Robinson. But Tessman suffered an injury that must have made his availability uncertain.

[The Sultan]

The concept of COLE was pretty much invented by followers of the US men's World Cup team.

Don't worry. Help is on the way.

https://bsky.app/profile/johnspacemuller.com/post/3mnfojrt5622d

[Hards Alumni]

https://defector.com/the-world-cup-for-nobody-is-almost-here

[MU82]

Don't worry. Help is on the way.

https://bsky.app/profile/johnspacemuller.com/post/3mnfojrt5622d

I like it - in just a few years, our AI soccer bots will demolish the rest of the world's AI futbol bots!

[panda]

Diego Luna just isn't quite good enough.  Besides, the bottom 5-8 players will never play any meaningful minutes anyway. So, even if he made the roster, Luna wouldn't really be a factor.

Roldan probably won't play much either, but he's an older player with great intangibles that also made the 2022 World Cup roster.

Adams, McKennie, Tillman, Reyna, Berhalter, and Aaronson can all play centrally.  So, I think midfield depth is ok, even though I would have preferred Tanner Tessman over a 5th CB like Miles Robinson. But Tessman suffered an injury that must have made his availability uncertain.

Only Wes and Tyler play the 6 and 8. The others do not offer any sort of coverage there putting roldan and berhalter as backups when both have proven they are way out of their depths at this level, shoutout ch18. Tessman and Morris both wouldve provided far better coverage. Otherwise the roster will be competitive. Balogun coming out party! 

We're in a tricky group but playing at home and with three teams progressing from most groups should make it fairly easy to move on. 

[WhiteTrash]

$350 for nosebleeds at bad games in Miami, $1000 for nosebleeds for good games.
Parking over $100, Uber rumored to be similar.
Will watch on TV at a bar. Okay, will drink at a bar while some of the games are on.

I don't follow this stuff closely, but why did the world cup eschew the Midwest for venues? I remember soccer being popular in Chicago and Milwaukee, so from this uneducated guy it seems odd to not have games in the Midwest. Or do cities view this like the Olympics, and think the juice isn't worth the squeeze?

[Hards Alumni]

I don't follow this stuff closely, but why did the world cup eschew the Midwest for venues? I remember soccer being popular in Chicago and Milwaukee, so from this uneducated guy it seems odd to not have games in the Midwest. Or do cities view this like the Olympics, and think the juice isn't worth the squeeze?

Because the FIFA only cares about doing the wrong thing all the time.

[MU82]

I don't follow this stuff closely, but why did the world cup eschew the Midwest for venues? I remember soccer being popular in Chicago and Milwaukee, so from this uneducated guy it seems odd to not have games in the Midwest. Or do cities view this like the Olympics, and think the juice isn't worth the squeeze?

Charlotte, which is soccer-crazy and is now the nation's 14th-largest city, didn't get any games, either.

[WhiteTrash]

Because the FIFA only cares about doing the wrong thing all the time.

There is no cure for 'stupid'.

[Jockey]

I haven't been this meh about a World Cup in awhile, so I know little about the US team. What are our expectations? Get out of the group and maybe win one game from there?

The Americans look like a bunch of young kids chasing the ball everywhere it goes.

[panda]

The Americans look like a bunch of young kids chasing the ball everywhere it goes.

?

[JWags85]

I don't follow this stuff closely, but why did the world cup eschew the Midwest for venues? I remember soccer being popular in Chicago and Milwaukee, so from this uneducated guy it seems odd to not have games in the Midwest. Or do cities view this like the Olympics, and think the juice isn't worth the squeeze?

I would imagine it probably comes down to venues.  Toyota Park/SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview is too small and Soldier Field is a mess.  The majority of the other stadiums are nicer or newer, outside of Lincoln Financial which is newer but a dump, but I get the East Coast bias over Chicago.  I'd imagine if Mexico/Canada weren't included, then Chicago would have been obvious, but yea.  I imagine DC wasn't included for similar reasons (though Washington mid summer outdoors is also potentially brutal).  Soldier Field would be the only stadium that hosted back in 1994 that repeated if they had hosted this World Cup.

The Americans look like a bunch of young kids chasing the ball everywhere it goes.

This looks like a tweet written by a 60 something British guy who hasn't watched international football outside of the Three Lions in decades.

[Pakuni]

I don't follow this stuff closely, but why did the world cup eschew the Midwest for venues? I remember soccer being popular in Chicago and Milwaukee, so from this uneducated guy it seems odd to not have games in the Midwest. Or do cities view this like the Olympics, and think the juice isn't worth the squeeze?

Chicago opted out because it didn't want to deal with FIFA.

[tower912]

Nobody wanted to play in Hammond.

[MuggsyB]

Any cool diminutive players to root for besides Messi?

[Uncle Rico]

Any cool diminutive players to root for besides Messi?

No

[Shaka Shart]

Any cool diminutive players to root for besides Messi?

No, this is the first World Cup that has a minimum height requirement of 5'8". Otherwise they rightfully send them to the U18 teams

[panda]

Enciso stretchered off tonight. USA opener just became a bit less tricky

[MuggsyB]

No, this is the first World Cup that has a minimum height requirement of 5'8". Otherwise they rightfully send them to the U18 teams

Why must we besmirch our smaller citizens?  Pele was 5'7.   He was listed at 5'8, but by all accounts he was 5'7.