This article is part of the Guardian’s 2026 World Cup Experts’ Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organisations from the 48 countries who qualified. theguardian.com is running previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament kicking off on 11 June.

The plan

Host nations get a direct runway to the tournament field, but a qualifying campaign would have likely helped clarify the USA’s ideal approach.

While Mauricio Pochettino has overseen immense tactical fluctuation throughout his half-cycle in charge, the aim is always to retain at least shared custody of proceedings. The USA had about 60% of possession against lower-ranked opponents such as Paraguay, Australia, and Ecuador last autumn, while clashes with presumed favorites (recently: Uruguay, Japan, and Belgium) saw closer to a 50/50 split. Pochettino’s longtime penchant for high pressing has largely been absent in this role, instead focusing on establishing a mid-block defense to try limiting the opponent’s final-third touches.

In possession, the USA works to string passing sequences up the channel, recently utilising a pair of attacking midfielders and a double-pivot behind them to better navigate the middle of the park. Width almost entirely falls on full-backs or wingbacks, with midfielders occasionally drifting off-center to create numerical advantages.

Despite a thin center-back corps, Pochettino saw great success with a back three and wingbacks last fall … only to revert to a 4-2-3-1 in a disastrous 5-2 thrashing against Belgium in March.

Both formations largely operate the same, with a 3-2-5 in possession and a 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 when defending. It’s a classic predicament of personnel: will Pochettino get his team in its best structure with five defenders (the 5-1 win over Uruguay), or get more of his best players on the pitch in spite of the tactical ramifications (the Belgium bummer)?

“Belgium and Portugal have, in the top 100 players, [a] few or some players in that top 100. I think we don’t have [any],” Pochettino said after a 2-0 loss to Portugal. It was their final match before his squad was named. Gulp!

While they may not be world-beaters, Pochettino’s 26 picks have received the more welcome WhatsApps and emails than those left off the squad. There are proven glue guys who help the squad regardless of their on-field roles, and a determination for a more harmonious environment than four years ago. Once the whistle blows, this group remains determined to show they can control games more than the bunker-and-counter iterations of bygone World Cups. All that’s left for them to do is to play in such a stylish manner and get results against top opposition.

The coach

One of a few celebrity managers at this tournament, Mauricio Pochettino opted to test international soccer after a grueling and thankless stint with Chelsea. As a player, he represented Argentina at the 2002 World Cup, offering physicality and sharp tactical reading at center-back. He’s forever a beloved figure in some parts of north London after guiding Tottenham through its best stretch of the modern era. Appointed in 2024 after the USMNT went out in the groups at a home Copa América under Gregg Berhalter, Pochettino is expected to return to the club scene following this tournament.

Star player

While Pochettino and the Guardian’s voting panel have omitted him from the top 100 players in the world, Christian Pulisic is a proven match-winner for the USA and Milan alike. The 27-year-old has been the face of the program since it missed out on the 2018 World Cup, bearing immense pressure to lead the USMNT into a brave new era of contention rather than competence. This year has been tough for the Hershey-born forward, goalless since last December in all arenas. Nonetheless, his ability to bypass opponents and set up a shot makes him a marking priority in every match.

One to watch

Following the exits of Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey, the USA got through the 2022 cycle with a striker-by-committee approach. It was a coup, then, when Folarin Balogun committed to his birth nation over England and Nigeria: an Arsenal-raised striker worth more than $40m in the transfer market. Balogun is a fine finisher, with the requisite movement to earn tap-ins away from opponents and the turn-and-shoot chops to fire from just about anywhere inside 25 yards with the right service. His form with Monaco has fluctuated but he was largely in-form this spring. He’s the latest danger man to wear the No 20 shirt for the USA, following Brian McBride.

Unsung hero

Aside from possibly Tyler Adams, no player is more irreplaceable in this USA roster than Chris Richards. An FA Cup winner with Crystal Palace in 2025, Richards is the surest presence along the backline in the program, a modern center-back with strong defensive rates on the ground or aerially and the range of passing to work into possession schemes. His club exploits were largely overshadowed by Marc Guéhi’s until the England man’s departure; similarly, his partnership with Tim Ream was an unheralded strength for much of this cycle. A dependable set of shifts this summer could inspire the next generation to appreciate the art of defending.

Probable starting XI

What to expect from fans at games?

Optimism is in short supply after the calamitous March window, coupled with feeling wrung out for every dollar with this World Cup’s pricing model. The rates are so lavish, in fact, that it’s hard to guarantee similar support to past tournaments with far friendlier pricing models. The four-figure get-in point could alter morale in the stands with more pressure to justify the outlay. You know the rest: red, white and blue, “U-S-A! U-S-A!” and cosplayers as Revolution patriots and bald eagles abound.

What’s at stake?

While hosting the 1994 World Cup catalyzed this nation’s interest in the game, 2026 was seen as a trampoline upon which the sport would spring to even more prominence. Domestic leagues have synced their mid-to-long-term planning with this summer hoping to maximize reach to newcomers. If fans don’t flock (again: it’s insanely expensive to get in) to find their local club, some worry about attrition among the investor class.

As for the lads on the field: last-16 exits in 2010, 2014, and 2022 have left the program without a quarter-final showing since 2002. They were once hyped as a possible golden generation and a deep run would make amends for an up-and-down cycle and justify Pochettino’s lavish wages. If not, fans will be eager to get on to the next generation in hopes of becoming a bona fide top-10 team worldwide.