USA will be competing in their 12th FIFA World Cup™ when they act as co-hosts for the 48-team FIFA World Cup 26™ alongside Canada and Mexico.
Having previously hosted the global showpiece in 1994 and now under the guidance of coach Mauricio Pochettino, the Stars and Stripes will be determined to improve on their last World Cup outing in 2022, when they were knocked out in the Round of 16 by the Netherlands.
USA coach: Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino was appointed as USA coach in September 2024, following the end of Gregg Berhalter’s second stint at the helm. The former Argentina international brings a wealth of coaching experience at the highest level of the game from his time with Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham, Southampton and Espanyol.
USA’s World Cup 26 fixtures and group
USA have been placed into Group D and will play their first and third matches at Los Angeles Stadium, with their second fixture to be held at Seattle Stadium, a venue which hosted six matches during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
Friday, 12 June 2026 – Los Angeles Stadium
Friday, 19 June 2026 – Seattle Stadium
Thursday, 25 June 2026 – Los Angeles Stadium
USA will learn their group stage opponents when the Final Draw for the tournament takes place in Washington DC on 5 December at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The draw will commence at 12:00 local time (18:00CET).
Full World Cup 26 match schedule
How USA qualified for World Cup 26
USA were confirmed as participants in the expanded 48-team tournament after being named as co-hosts of the global event alongside Canada and Mexico. The 2026 edition will be their 12th participation in the World Cup, and they previously acted as sole hosts in 1994, reaching the Round of 16 before being edged out 1-0 by eventual winners Brazil.
USA’s World Cup history
USA’s best World Cup
The Stars and Stripes’ most successful World Cup adventure came in the inaugural edition of the tournament in the 1930 FIFA World Cup Uruguay™, when they topped their three-team group after 3-0 victories over Paraguay and Belgium to progress to the semi-finals, only to suffer a 6-1 defeat at the hands of Argentina.
USA’s last World Cup
Having been drawn into a testing group for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ featuring England, IR Iran and Wales, USA qualified undefeated in second place following draws with Wales and England before Christian Pulisic secured victory over Iran. Their journey would end in the Round of 16, though, following a 3-1 defeat against the Netherlands.
USA’s first World Cup
USA were among the select group of 13 nations that assembled in Montevideo, Uruguay for the first-ever FIFA World Cup in 1930. The 13 teams were drawn into four groups, with the winners progressing to the semi-finals. Having overcome Paraguay and Belgium, their tournament was ended by Argentina in the last four.
USA’s World Cup top scorer
Iconic attacker Landon Donovan holds the honour of being USA’s record World Cup scorer, having bagged five goals across three tournaments. He struck twice in Korea/Japan 2002, including the second goal in the memorable 2-0 victory over Mexico in the Round of 16. Three further goals were to follow in South Africa 2010, across successive matches in the group stage against Slovenia and Algeria, and in the Stars and Stripes’ Round of 16 exit at the hands of Ghana.
USA’s record World Cup appearance maker
This record is another to be held by Landon Donovan, who clocked up 12 appearances as he featured across three World Cup finals for USA – in 2002, 2006 and 2010. Donovan played all five matches in Korea/Japan 2002 as the Stars and Stripes reached the quarter-finals, added a further three games through the group phase in Germany four years later, and then featured four times in the following tournament in South Africa.
USA’s memorable World Cup moments
Arguably USA’s greatest triumph on the global stage came during the 1950 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ when they upset all the odds to overcome England 1-0 during the group phase in one of the tournament’s biggest-ever upsets. The Three Lions were among the favourites for the trophy in their first World Cup, while USA’s side consisted of part-time players, and they would not return to football’s top table again until 1990. However, an expectant crowd in Belo Horizonte were left stunned as Joe Gaetjens scored the only goal shortly before half-time, and for all England’s possession, pressure and chances they could not find a way past goalkeeper Frank Borghi.
Fast-forward 64 years, and another USA goalkeeper was performing heroics in the same country – this time Tim Howard during the Round of 16 clash with Belgium at the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™. Acting as the last line of defence, Howard made a World Cup-best 16 saves during the match. Although it was not enough to prevent the Red Devils eventually edging home 2-1 after extra-time, it earned Howard presidential praise, social media fame and a place in the record books.
USA’s biggest World Cup win
Despite playing in 37 matches across 11 World Cups between 1930 and 2022, it is USA’s first two group games from 1930 in Uruguay which garnered their greatest victories in the tournament. They opened that campaign with successive 3-0 wins over Belgium and then Paraguay in Montevideo, with Bert Patenaude scoring the first-ever hat-trick in World Cup history in the second of those matches.
