The U.S. men’s national team is exactly 100 days from opening its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign on home soil, with kickoff set for June 12 in the first game the Americans will play at the tournament.
Under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT is entering its final stretch of preparation with friendlies against Belgium, Portugal, Senegal, and Germany still on the schedule and spread over the next three months.
With an expanded 48-team format, a first in World Cup history, two knockout-stage wins will be required to reach the quarterfinals of the competition.
Those heightened demands have already raised a debate about what benchmark should define a successful tournament for the Americans.
In the modern era, the USMNT has never gotten past the quarterfinals, the furthest stage the Americans reached back in 2002, with a prior third-place finish in the first World Cup in 1930, where 13 nations participated.
Photo by Robin Alam/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images
During an ESPN roundtable featuring former U.S. players and coaches, USMNT legend Landon Donovan framed the conversation about what a successful tournament would be for the Americans from a different perspective.
“My view of success is, 'Does the team captivate the nation?' And I know that’s subjective,” Donovan said. “Do they make a significant run into the knockouts? Meaning for some crazy reason, if they get drawn with France in the round of 32 and you bow out in a really well-fought game, that’s OK, that’s respectable.”
Donovan went on to emphasize that impactful moments throughout the tournament, rather than the ultimate stage the USA reaches, would mean more than anything.
“Or are there one or two or three iconic moments that really move the needle?” Donovan said. “So I’m sort of viewing it through that lens vs. we have to get this far.”
Other people interviewed by ESPN offered more concrete targets, all of them focusing on actual rounds of the World Cup while setting the bar for a good American run.
Former USMNT coach Bruce Arena pointed to the round of 16. “I don’t anticipate us winning the World Cup, but I think at a minimum we should probably make the round of 16,” Arena said.
Former defender Steven Cherundolo agreed with Arena. “I would say if we make it to the round of 16, I think if we're playing against a really good team and lose after a good performance, I think we should be proud of them,” Cherundonlo said.
Striker Eric Wynalda, however, set gaudy expectations for the USMNT set to compete at the World Cup.
“Semifinals,” Wynalda said. “Yes, it's realistic. Worst-case scenario, third-place finish.”
The USMNT's 26-man roster will be revealed on May 26 in New York City.