After a promising yet ultimately disappointing 2026 World Cup, the US men's national team enters a new cycle with significant uncertainties. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's contract is expiring, and US Soccer has made an extension offer, but both sides are taking time to decide. The abrupt departure of sporting director Matt Crocker to Saudi Arabia before the World Cup raises further questions about the program's direction. While most of the 2026 squad's core is expected to remain competitive for 2030, four years is a long time in soccer.
2027: Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup
The US returns to regional competition needing to sustain momentum. The Nations League begins in September, though the US will likely enter in November as one of the region's top-four teams, receiving a bye to the quarter-finals. The semi-finals and final are scheduled for March 2027. The US won the first three Nations Leagues but failed to reach the final in 2025, losing to Panama and then Canada in the third-place match. The next edition offers a chance to prove that their strong summer form was not an aberration but a new standard of effective, entertaining soccer.
The Gold Cup follows in the summer, historically a proving ground for fringe players. In 2019, the US used the tournament to debut Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie after missing the previous World Cup. Pochettino's only Gold Cup helped integrate Malik Tillman, Sebastian Berhalter, Alex Freeman, and Matt Freese. Players who narrowly missed the World Cup squad—such as Aidan Morris, Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, and injured Patrick Agyemang—could use the Gold Cup as a springboard to become core contributors. Younger prospects like Zavier Gozo, Niko Tsakiris, Adri Mehmeti, and Julian Hall will also push for early opportunities.
Goalkeeper is a position to watch. Matt Freese, despite a Gold Cup under his belt, looked unseasoned this summer and faltered against Belgium. Matt Turner turned 32 in June, leaving the door open for alternatives. Establishing a reliable goalkeeper by next summer would allow multiple tournaments to build cohesion.
World Cup qualifying begins in November 2027, with the US joining in the second round alongside other top-ranked Concacaf teams. They will be the top seed in a group of four, where finishing first or second (with games in November and March 2028) secures advancement to the final round. There is no excuse for failing to advance.
2028: Copa América and LA Olympics
The Copa América is tentatively scheduled for 2028 in the United States, though no official confirmation exists. Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported that the 2024 and 2028 tournaments were awarded in tandem, with the US and other Concacaf nations having paths into the field even if held in South America. The Copa would be a vital mid-cycle test, assessing the A-team's mettle ahead of the final stage of World Cup qualifying. Players nearing 30 will need to perform sharply as younger alternatives emerge.
The Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will feature soccer in several MLS stadiums. This under-23 tournament (with three over-age players allowed) offers a chance to develop the next generation. The Paris 2024 Olympics boosted Tanner Tessmann's stock as he captained the US to a quarter-final. For 2028, the Olympics could be even more informative as the program prepares for a likely generational shift after the 2030 World Cup.
2029: Concacaf Qualifying, Nations League, and Gold Cup
The Nations League and Gold Cup will continue to serve as platforms for rotational and fringe players to adopt the A-team's style. World Cup qualifying intensifies, assuming the US avoids a historic setback in the second round. After 2028, the US coach will have tournament performances from 46 players: 26 from Copa América and 20 younger hopefuls from the Olympics. This large pool provides flexibility as players cycle in and out due to injuries and form.
As the US learned in 2018, qualifying is not guaranteed. However, the expanded World Cup field has made Concacaf qualifying more forgiving. Instead of the old Hexagonal or Octagonal, the final 12 teams are drawn into three groups of four for a six-match stage. The top two from each group advance to the World Cup, while the two best third-place finishers enter a play-in for an inter-confederation playoff spot.
Careful planning across the cycle can foster confidence: crystallizing team style and goalkeeper clarity by end of 2027, assessing the A-team at Copa and seasoning the next wave at the Olympics in 2028, and refining combinations through a successful qualifying run ending in 2029. After a cycle lacking some crucial gut-checks, the US has a chance to build momentum well before the 2030 World Cup. It is up to the program to make the right decisions at coach and possibly in the backroom to start on the right foot.
