Pochettino faces pressure as U.S. prepares for home World Cup run

The United States was set to begin its most watched men’s soccer test in decades, with Mauricio Pochettino leading a home World Cup campaign that has become a referendum on American soccer’s maturity. The opener against Paraguay was scheduled for June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium, and the stakes were larger than one match: the U.S. was preparing to host its second men’s World Cup, in the 23rd edition of the tournament.

This World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams and three host countries, with Canada, Mexico and the United States sharing the stage. FIFA announced the full match schedule on Feb. 4, 2024, and set the final for July 19, 2026, in New York New Jersey. For the U.S. men, every date on that calendar has sharpened the pressure, because the country is not just hosting games. It is hosting expectations.

U.S. Soccer hired Pochettino on Sept. 10, 2024, and handed him a contract that runs through the 2026 World Cup. That arrangement gave the Argentine coach a two-year runway to build a side capable of handling the weight of home support, global attention and a bracket that will stretch deep into July. FIFA noted that Pochettino’s first match at the helm came against Panama on Oct. 12, 2024, but the real judgment arrives now, with the tournament on U.S. soil.

The shadow hanging over this campaign is 1994. That World Cup drew a record 3.6 million spectators, a mark that still stands, and it became a seminal moment in U.S. soccer history. The American team advanced out of the group stage for the first time since 1930, beating Colombia and drawing Switzerland before losing to eventual champion Brazil in the round of 16. That run remains the last time a home World Cup translated into both scale and credibility for the men’s national team.

Now the country gets another chance, with a bigger field, a longer schedule and a brighter spotlight. Pochettino’s job is not only to manage matches, but to show that years of investment and growing attention can produce something sturdier than nostalgia. In a tournament built to showcase the game’s expansion, the U.S. will be measured by whether it can finally turn home advantage into a real World Cup run.