The USMNT are behind in the power rankings for what they've shown in the past months under Mauricio Pochettino, including the 2025 Gold Cup disappointment. The home World Cup will help them, but they'll need more performances like the 5-1 win over Uruguay.

Germany have moved into ninth place ahead in the latest FIFA men's rankings ahead of the 2026 World Cup draw, likely sealing a place in Pot 1 for the draw.

The USA have leapfrogged Mexico to restore their status as CONCACAF's top side, at least on the FIFA Men's World Rankings, which have also confirmed advantageous seeding for the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq, who will get a bye to the finals of the World Cup's inter-confederation playoffs.

2022 World Cup hosts Qatar are the most challenging Pot 4 side, although the USMNT would likely conquer the reigning Asian champions with little fuss. They won their only meeting with FIFA’s 52nd-ranked nation during the CONCACAF Gold Cup back in 2021.

The U.S. men's national team plans to play four friendlies in 2026 to gear up for a World Cup on home turf, The Athletic reported Wednesday. The first two matches, to be held in Atlanta in March, reportedly will pit the USMNT against Belgium and Portugal.

But an inexperienced USMNT side ran roughshod over the Uruguayans, as defender Alex Freeman scored a brace and was joined on the scoresheet by Sebastian Berhalter, Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann. The goals from Freeman, Berhalter and Tessmann were their first on the international level.

USA ’94 helped birth Major League Soccer (MLS), and with the sport’s popularity surging in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, there’s scope for the long-term effects on U.S. soccer to be even more significant in the tournament’s aftermath.

In the pre-World Cup window, the second game will be in early June against Germany in Chicago, according to multiple sources briefed on the plans. The first will be on the East Coast, with planning currently focused on Charlotte, and the opponent to be finalized after the Dec. 5 World Cup draw, sources said.

No matter the group Pochettino has called in, he's seen the players deliver with the kind of tenacity he's demanded from an often-complacent talent pool. That messaging especially paid off in this November international window where the USMNT defeated Paraguay, 2-1, and dominated 15th-ranked Uruguay, 5-1.

Pochettino's men are on a roll before the World Cup. But what was Ronaldo doing at a gala dinner with President Trump?