We’re back with Episode 160 of the USA Soccercast! There are a ton of questions surrounding the United States Men’s National Team and the upcoming 2026 World Cup, so we took to social media to gather questions and provide the answers you desire.

A lot of questions centered around the USMNT, from the roster to certain players and their chances of making the World Cup roster. There’s also the questions on head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s evaluation of the player pool and narrowing down the choices for his roster. We even discuss whether the USMNT have adequate competition lined up to properly prepare them to host the world next summer.

We also get into aspects of the World Cup, from the recent announcement of the mascots to which venues we’re looking forward to seeing to the questions about how morally we can support the USMNT in these “interesting” times. No question gets ducked on this episode, and we welcome more on Bluesky or Twitter as we get ready for the October international window.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky, Twitter, and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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This will be a fun one to take you into the weekend! On Episode 159, we take the suggestion of a listener and we take it to the nostalgia by ranking the 10 best, most important wins in United States Men’s National Team history.

There are so many big wins to consider throughout the course of time, from the obvious to the cult classics. From Columbus and Jeonju to Natal and Belo Horizonte, we go through the list and recall some of the biggest moments ever for the USMNT. So sit back, relax, and fire up the time machine for the trip down memory lane!

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The 2026 World Cup ticketing sales are set to begin next month, and it’s about time to start addressing some frequently asked questions. On Episode 158, we do just that.

First, we discuss the World Cup Draw which is reportedly set to take place on December 5th in Las Vegas. The draw always is a night for glitz and glamor, and Vegas could be the best backdrop for that particular night.

After quickly discussing the draw, we get into the first ticket phase for the 2026 World Cup, and it’s one for all Visa cardholders. The application window runs September 10-19 and will provide the first major lottery for fans around the world to get tickets to the biggest sporting event on the planet.

After the break, we get to the questions. There have been several general questions about how the process will go for fans to get tickets to World Cup matches, whether they are for the USMNT or matches involving other teams. How much will tickets likely cost? Can I just find tickets on StubHub or another third party reseller? What will it be like to travel between the United States, Mexico, and Canada for matches? We don’t have all the answers, but we get into a lot of information that we do know on this episode.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup is less than 11 months away, and the United States Men’s National Team is in the final phase of preparations to co-host the world. In the aftermath of finishing runner-up to Mexico at the Gold Cup, there have been a lot of debates about what the team - from the players to head coach Mauricio Pochettino - needs to do in order to be operating at max capacity when they open the World Cup next June in LA.

Enter Landon Donovan. He’s been outspoken in both his criticism of the USMNT and what it needs to do to improve as well as supportive of some of the strides the team took during the Gold Cup. The USMNT legend spoke with the USA Soccercast on Episode 157 about his work he’s doing with Real Madrid and Abbott to increase access and opportunity to kids across the country looking to improve their game. He also took the time to evaluate what the USMNT needs to prioritize ahead of next summer and what they need to do to make a deep run in the 2026 World Cup. He then closes out with his wish list for what the lasting legacy from the World Cup would be.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The United States Women’s National Team had a great international window, and the USMNT Gold Cup roster is out. We take some time to discuss it on Episode 156.

The USWNT defeated China 3-0 and Jamaica 4-0 during their most recent window, and it feels like Emma Hayes is closer to identifying the players who could form the core of her plans as we progress through this Women’s World Cup cycle. We discuss some of the players who performed very well during the camp, including Phallon Tullis-Joyce’s case to be the #1 goalkeeper. We also get into some of the players that maybe had a camp to forget as well as what the team needs to lean on as they move forward: a fast, creative midfield.

After the break, we discuss the USMNT Gold Cup roster that was announced on Thursday. We take a look at who made the roster as well as the main notable omission of Sergiño Dest, who was deemed not quite 100% to play in the tournament by the USMNT coaching staff. We discuss what that means for a team that will enter the tournament with just a few guys with Gold Cup experience.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The United States Men’s National Team is headed to camp next week and among the newcomers is 1.FC Köln striker Damion Downs. We’re joined by Jake Payne of 50 Plus Döner as we do a deep dive on the young German-American and what he brings to the table.

Jake does content that focuses on Köln and German soccer as a whole, and he gives us some incredible insight on Downs and what he’s done well at the club level. He also discusses what Downs will have to improve as he prepares for his time with the USMNT and helping Köln as they return to the Bundesliga next season. It’s a great interview that also expands to why German soccer is normally so beneficial for American players to develop and how the wave can shift back to players thriving in the Bundesliga.

After the break, the USWNT take the field this weekend in two friendlies where we will see the team continue to develop some of the young talent. We look at the roster and some notes about who we are excited about seeing against China and Jamaica. We close out with discussion on the news of an expanded 2031 Women’s World Cup and a potential trans-Pacific men’s World Cup in 2038.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The United States Men’s National Team prepares to play in the Concacaf Gold Cup, but Christian Pulisic’s absence has everyone talking. We discuss his decision to opt out of this summer’s matches on Episode 154.

Christian Pulisic has decided that after a long season for AC Milan, he wants to sit the summer out. That decision has taken American soccer by storm and it has prompted a lot of critical feedback. We offer our own thoughts on his decision and what it means for him and the USMNT. With other absences, this means the A roster that fans were promised for the Gold Cup is left with some newcomers who have a huge opportunity ahead of them.

We also get into the new 2025 US Soccer jerseys that were released a couple of weeks ago. While we’re still Team Waldos as the permanent home identity, we’re excited about these really cool looking jerseys for this summer.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The women’s soccer pyramid could be expanding in 2026, and we discuss it on Episode 153!

The NWSL has submitted a bid to create a second division league called NWSL Division 2 that would serve as a reserve league beginning in 2026. It would begin with 8 teams, with every NWSL team eventually having a reserve team in the league. There is also WPSL Pro, who also announced their intention to launch in 2026 with 15 teams. We quickly go through the new proposed leagues.

We then get into the evolving women’s soccer pyramid in the United States and some of the things that these leagues will need to overcome. We also discuss soccer markets that are increasingly crowded as leagues rush to ride the coat tails of the 2026 World Cup. The eye should be on sustainability, and the legacy of 2026 doesn’t have to mean that a league rushes to launch in 2026. As more information comes out about these leagues, we can continue to debate the pros and cons, but it’s a discussion worth having to make sure that women’s soccer remains successful and is not set up in a hurried manner that increases the potential for failure.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The USL is finally going to institute promotion-relegation. Eboni Christmas of Walkin 90 joins us to discuss the good and the bad on Episode 152.

USL Division One is a new league that will debut in 2027-2028, but the United Soccer Leagues are going even further to try and create more interest in the league. Starting in 2028, they will implement promotion-relegation among their 3 professional divisions. We first discuss the new D1 league that USL is starting and what will be required of them. We then chat with Eboni Christmas of the Walkin 90 Podcast and Shea Butter FC about how she thinks promotion-relegation will work and how her team - North Carolina FC - will prepare themselves for it.

After the break, we further analyze what USL needs to do to really be ready to help this system succeed in the United States. It’s a bold move, but it’s not without its questions and concerns. There’s a lot that has to be done for this to work well and to really bring what everyone who favors promotion-relegation says it will. It’s a huge gamble for the league. And, the clock is now ticking to satisfy all the requirements. You won’t want to miss this episode!

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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The USA Soccercast is back with Episode 151 as we prepare for the Concacaf Nations League Finals!

The USMNT seek to lift the Concacaf Nations League trophy for the 4th straight time. To do that, they’ll have to get past Panama in the semifinals and then either Canada or Mexico in the final. The roster is out, so we look at the updated version after injuries forced some changes.

We also take a look at where some players are listed, including Yunus Musah being listed as a forward. We hear from Mauricio Pochettino on where he envisions Musah playing on the field.

Matches against Panama are normally very chippy and full of wild moments and lots of cards. Yunus Musah speaks on how the team keeps its emotions in check and we analyze what the USMNT need to bring to the field to beat Panama and compete once again for the title.

Don’t forget to follow us on Bluesky and YouTube! Rates, reviews, and subscriptions really help our reach wherever you get your podcasts as well as on YouTube. Head to our Linktree, which will give you access to all our affiliate links and our Stimulus store! And finally, tag us on Twitter or email USA Soccercast at Gmail dot com with any topic suggestions or questions for the show.

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