The USMNT’s 4-1 World Cup-opening win over Paraguay drew 15.986 million viewers across FOX, FOX One and Tubi, making it the most-watched USMNT telecast ever and another major sign of soccer’s growing pull in the United States. The broadcast peaked at 18.86 million viewers, while the match also became the most-streamed English-language USMNT game on record.
Folarin Balogun’s USMNT story began with fanfare, Instagram sleuthing, and an Orlando recruiting dinner. Against Paraguay, it came full circle as the striker delivered a dream World Cup debut.
It was a near-perfect World Cup opener for Mauricio Pochettino's side as they swept away their opponents in a way that will be remembered for a long, long time.
After years of build-up, the 2026 World Cup is almost upon us. The best players in the world have descended on the United States, Mexico and Canada with dreams of lifting the most prestigious trophy in global football ahead of the action getting under way in Mexico City.
We're now just hours away from the start of the 2026 World Cup, with teams currently making their final preparations ahead of the big kick-off in the United States, Mexico and Canada on Thursday. This is the biggest World Cup ever, with 48 teams having qualified, meaning there are a whole host of players making their first appearance on the global stage.
Thomas Tuchel has no shortage of world-class talent to choose from within England's squad for the 2026 World Cup. But while the presence of players such as Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice mean that the Tuchel's team are among the favourites, it's worth imagining a world where every England-eligible player at the tournament opted to represent the Three Lions.
The USMNT fell short against Germany in their final pre-World Cup tune-up, but Mauricio Pochettino still saw signs of progress as Antonee Robinson delivered a stunning goal, Malik Tillman impressed in a deeper role, and Miles Robinson endured another difficult outing.
USMNT strikers Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi have become the subject of Premier League transfer predictions, with Brad Friedel telling GOAL that both could end up in the English top-flight. It is suggested that the former may link up with one of the “big boys”, while the latter would benefit from using “mid to lower teams” as another career stepping stone.
USMNT fans exploded online after the leaked World Cup roster surfaced, with Diego Luna’s omission and Gio Reyna’s inclusion fueling intense debate ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s official squad announcement.
Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT World Cup squad is set, and GOAL breaks down the key takeaways, including major trust in Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie, and one lingering goalkeeper question.
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