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Rand Getlin and Janina Pelayo admit they knew “nothing” about soccer before embarking on the ambitious U.S. Against the World, pronounced “Us Against the World.” They had four years (and 300 production days) to learn the game.

The HBO documentary series, which began following the United States men’s national soccer team during the 2022 World Cup, has not left the squad since. The five-part series premieres Tuesday at 9 p.m. on HBO and HBO Max, roughly one month before the 2026 Cup kicks off. Episodes will come out weekly. Though the season is wrapped, the cameras have yet to be clicked off. If the producers have their way, they’ll never be.

HBO carries the option for a second season, and Getlin and Pelayo believe they’ve created “a forever franchise,” in Getlin’s words. Season two of U.S. Against the World feels like a slam dunk free kick — the final roster selections, as well as the World Cup itself, won’t be a part of this first season.

Judy Matthew, the vice president of media for U.S. Soccer, says the organization is down to do much more.

“This is a really important part of connecting with our fans, of getting them to see the human side of our athletes,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “That goes for both the men and the women… we’d love to continue to grow in the premium content space.”

Getlin and Pelayo, the married couple who launched production company Park Stories in 2017, actually tried to get this project off the ground in 2020 in time for the ’22 World Cup. At the time, there were no takers.

“We believed before the market did,” Getlin said.

So they gambled on themselves, and in May 2022, Park Stories went camera-up on what would become U.S. Against the World. They were in the right place (London) at the right time (November 2022) when Team USA made the round of 16 for just the seventh time in history. Though the U.S. men had also advanced beyond the group stage in 2010 and 2014, it didn’t even qualify for the 2018 World Cup, which probably explains why the earlier pitches were passed over.

In September 2022, seven months into production, Matthew joined U.S. Soccer and became the project’s biggest cheerleader, but not its only one. Getlin and Pelayo had a secret weapon up their sleeves: Tyler Adams. The U.S. men’s team captain, with whom they previously collaborated on Quibi (R.I.P.) series Prodigy (2020), vouched for their quality of work and process, becoming a “massive validator” for the project.

When Adams speaks, those around him listen. That’s one of the reasons why he’ll wear the armband this summer. The other is his national pride.

“You talk to NBA players, you’re like, ‘What’s the most meaningful thing in your career?’ ‘Man, I want to win an NBA championship,'” Getlin said. “You talk to these guys on the World Cup squad, you’re like, ‘What’s the most meaningful thing for you?’ ‘Man, I just want to play for my country. I love my country.’ So it’s rad.”

Though Adams backed Getlin and Pelayo to his 25 teammates (and their families) and the 33 coaches and staffers, there were so many more people and organizations that required convincing. All told, Park Stories had to negotiate with 48 entities for footage and filming rights.

“The rights maps were hard, the logistics were hard, the production schedule was hard, and trying to do things really well and to be ready for when the story changes over four years is insane,” Pelayo said. “I don’t know anybody that would sign up for it.”

It was also expensive. Licensing alone was “definitely well in excess of seven figures,” Getlin said.

The “biggest bet” they made here, he said, “is that the sport of soccer in America is just getting started.”

Matt Turner, the U.S. men’s team goalkeeper, hopes so too.

“It’s hard to compete with all the other sports leagues in America,” Turner told THR.

This is one way. A high-profile documentary series on a premium network like HBO is “a way to open the door to Americans in general,” he continued. “They don’t have to know soccer to fall in love with the players.”

That has already happened with the hit Netflix documentary series Full Swing (golf) and Formula 1: Drive to Survive (open-wheel racing). Niche sports (in the U.S.) and their athletes can become mainstream stars through good storytelling. Millions of viewers flock to premium television for high drama, and the World Cup has no shortage of that.

Turner, like Adams, is ready for his closeup because he’s been here before. Turner’s wife, Ashley, a former New England Patriots cheerleader, starred on Married to the Game, a WAGS-type series on Amazon Prime Video in England. Though the reality show primarily focused on the spouses of star athletes, Turner grew used to hosting cameras, microphones and producers in his house.

Getlin and Pelayo were a lot less intrusive.

“They always felt like part of the family,” he said. “Even to this day, I feel really comfortable opening our doors to them. Even if it had nothing to do with the show, we would trust in them to be friends and confidants and all that kind of stuff.”

The best thing for soccer in America (and the future of U.S. Against the World) would be a stellar performance from Adams, Turner and the boys this summer. (The women’s team is far more accomplished, having won a record four World Cups. The men have never won — their best finish, third place, was nearly 100 years ago.)

Expectations, internally and externally, are high.

“We have an incredible degree of faith” in the team, Getlin said when asked for a prediction. “I think that they are going to make the country proud.”

“I wouldn’t bet 300 days on anybody else but Team USA,” Pelayo added.