The US men’s national team setup is surrounded by significant uncertainty. Mauricio Pochettino’s deal has expired, an extension has been proposed by US Soccer, yet both sides are still deliberating. The sudden departure of sporting director Matt Crocker to accept a comparable role with Saudi Arabia ahead of the World Cup raises further questions about the sport’s trajectory in this country. Although much of the core from the 2026 roster is still expected to be in contention for 2030, a four-year gap is substantial. (USMNT)
Moving forward, every year brings a major competition. The US must aim to gain clarity at each stage of this journey.
2027: Concacaf Nations League + Gold Cup
The United States will re-engage in regional play aiming to maintain the positive energy. The Nations League begins in September, but the Americans are likely to enter in November because the top four teams in the region receive byes directly to the quarterfinals. The final four and championship match are set for March 2027.
After winning the initial three editions of the Nations League, the US missed the final in 2025, stumbling badly against Panama and then losing to Canada in the third-place contest. The upcoming tournament is the first opportunity to demonstrate that their strong summer performance was not a fluke but rather a new standard: effective football that also allows for creative expression.
The Gold Cup takes place in the summer, traditionally serving as a proving ground for players on the fringes. In 2019, after failing to qualify for the previous World Cup, the US responded by handing tournament debuts to Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie. Pochettino’s lone Gold Cup allowed him to incorporate Malik Tillman, Sebastian Berhalter, Alex Freeman, and Matt Freese into the group.
Those who narrowly missed out on Pochettino’s roster—such as Aidan Morris, Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann, and the sidelined Patrick Agyemang—could use this tournament as a springboard to establish themselves more firmly within the core group from earlier in the cycle. Meanwhile, players lacking the experience to compete this summer, including Zavier Gozo, Niko Tsakiris, Adri Mehmeti, and Julian Hall, will push for an early chance to break through.
The goalkeeper spot is one to monitor. Despite having Gold Cup experience, Freese appeared raw this summer and struggled to rise to the occasion against Belgium. Matt Turner turned 32 in June, opening the door for other options. Establishing a reliable keeper by next summer would provide several tournaments to develop chemistry with the squad.
World Cup qualification begins for the United States in November 2027, entering at the second round alongside the other highest-ranked regional sides. They will be seeded first in a four-team group, and a top-two finish (with matches in November and March 2028) sends them to the final round. There is absolutely no justification for not progressing from this phase.
2028: Copa América and the LA Olympics
The Copa América is tentatively scheduled, as there is no official word that Conmebol will host its premier event in the United States for a second straight edition. But Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported that the 2024 and 2028 tournaments were awarded together, potentially giving the US and other Concacaf countries routes into the competition even if it takes place in South America.
More prestigious than the Gold Cup, the Copa would serve as a crucial mid-cycle evaluation to measure this group’s resolve. It would be a genuine test for established starters to confirm they deserve to be relied upon heading toward 2030, with the final phase of World Cup qualifying in sight. Players approaching 30 will need to be particularly sharp, as younger options will be pushing hard to claim a place.
After that comes another event on home soil: the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, where soccer matches will be staged in several MLS venues. The Olympic tournament remains largely for players under 23, though each squad can include three over-age players.
Don’t underestimate the value of Olympic soccer. Paris 2024 didn’t uncover any immediate World Cup starters, but it significantly boosted Tessmann’s profile as he led the team to a quarterfinal. It could offer even more insight as the program prepares for a probable generational turnover after the 2030 World Cup. Giving a group of up-and-coming players the chance to shine in high-profile international matches is an excellent way to expand and strengthen the talent pool.
2029: Concacaf qualifying + Nations League + Gold Cup
For both the Nations League and Gold Cup, the objective is comparable: maintain a playing style similar to the first-choice group while assessing more rotational or fringe players.
The real intrigue lies in qualifying, provided the US avoids a historic slip in the second round. After 2028, the head coach will have recent tournament data from 46 players to analyze: 26 from the Copa América and 20 younger prospects from the Olympics. That’s a sizable pool to draw from as players cycle in and out of qualifying windows because of injuries and form.
As the US discovered in 2018, qualification is not guaranteed. However, since their last appearance in 2022, the enlarged tournament format has made Concacaf qualifying somewhat less harsh. Instead of the old round-robin “Hexagonal” or “Octagonal,” Concacaf now splits the final twelve contenders into three groups of four, each playing six matches. The top two from each group go directly to the World Cup, and the two best third-place teams enter a playoff for a spot in the inter-confederation play-in.
Qualifying is always tense globally, but careful planning throughout the entire cycle can build confidence. A clear team identity and a settled goalkeeper by the end of 2027. An evaluation of the top squad at the Copa and the nurturing of the next wave at the 2028 Olympics. Fine-tuning partnerships and building chemistry through a successful qualifying campaign that concludes in 2029.
After a cycle that lacked some of these key tests, the United States now have an opportunity to generate serious momentum long before the 2030 World Cup arrives. It’s up to the program to make the correct choices at head coach and, perhaps, in the backroom staff to begin on the right foot.
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