USA Soccercast

Finally, the World Cup ball is out, and its name is Trionda! We talk about it for a couple minutes…the design is pretty nice and it hopefully will look great when it’s on the field of play. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The USA Soccercast is back with Episode 150 to take you into the weekend! The USWNT are back in action for SheBelieves Cup, and we have a roster. We analyze the roster and get some of Emma Hayes’ thinking behind the call-ins and how she plans to utilize some of the players against another quality set of opponents. While certain players are out, others get a prime opportunity to show that they can be ready when called upon to produce. We break down several positions and players and hear from Emma herself on some of her thoughts on key players as well as the recent move of a few American players to European leagues. After the break, the USMNT U-17s went down to World Cup qualifying in Costa Rica and hung 22 goals on the U.S. Virgin Islands! We update you on who scored what in a record setting night for the U-17s as they seek to qualify for this fall’s U-17 World Cup. Don’t forget: take the time every day during Black History Month to catch up on one of our stories in our Black History Month hub! 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back with Episode 149, where we break down Major League Soccer’s participation in the various club competitions this season. MLS will send teams to the Concacaf Champions Cup, the U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup, the Canadian Championship, and the FIFA Club World Cup this season. But, in a new set of qualification criteria, teams (with the exception of the Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami, due to their participation in the Club World Cup) will take part in at least one, but not more than two, cup competitions in 2025 and 2026. We first start by examining that criteria as well as detailing which teams will play in each of those competitions. After the break, we continue our discussion by analyzing how MLS is going about its participation in the various cup competitions. The increased focus on Leagues Cup - despite teams balking at its format and how it disrupts the season - continues to be something that is rightfully scrutinized, and this episode is no exception. But, we don’t just come to the table with the negatives. There’s a format that would reduce the importance of the Leagues Cup but also improve schedule congestion and perhaps fan excitement in the competition...and we look to college basketball for that idea. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Men’s National Team had a fun January Camp, and we recap it on Episode 148! The USMNT had two wins last week over Venezuela and Costa Rica to give this January Camp fun vibes. We saw some players take advantage of their opportunity and we saw some good play as the team got the first two wins of 2025 under their belt. We recap what we saw from that camp and how it could affect some of the players moving forward as we dive into the year. After the break, Naomi Girma is officially on the move to Chelsea in a world record transfer. But what does it mean for the NWSL that she leaves behind? We discuss how it’s important for Girma, important for Chelsea, and important for the NWSL, but that it shouldn’t signify a mass exodus of players to teams across the pond. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Women’s National Team are having a combined training camp to start the year, but on Episode 147, we discuss how head coach Emma Hayes is changing the approach. January Camp is normally a camp where the USWNT comes together for the first time in the new year to play a couple of friendlies and begin their preparations for a loaded schedule. However, Emma Hayes has softened the approach to January Camp, bringing in 49 players across two rosters: the USWNT training roster and a Futures Camp of U-23s designed to give them a chance to get involved and make an impression. There are no matches this time, and as we discuss, Hayes has decided that January Camps will remain an opportunity to develop talent and organize the overall strategy for the year. We get into the WNT roster as well as the Futures roster and how it’s a big year for some positions as some veterans are not present for various reasons. Overall, Emma Hayes wants to create more opportunities for the younger players, but first she wants to get them into this camp to get to know them and begin to implement her methodology that sets the program up for future success. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We get our first look at the United States Men’s National Team in 2025 as they get set to take the field for two friendlies over the next few days. We preview their matches against Venezuela and Costa Rica on Episode 146. The USMNT enter 2025 needing to start figuring out what their depth will look like as they get ready for Concacaf Nations League and the Gold Cup. They of course continue to have their eyes on the 2026 World Cup, and the January Camp friendlies are a chance for MLS-based players to make an impression. We take you through the roster of players and note how one of them has a wild path to the national team. There are some players who have a great opportunity to show they can be counted on as depth pieces as the race to 2026 hits full stride. After the break, we get into a little bit of the calendar for the USMNT and what awaits them in 2025. There are some potentials for big time friendlies, but Concacaf competitions will dominate the first half of the year as the USMNT seek to hold onto the Concacaf Nations League trophy and reclaim the Gold Cup. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are back in time for the holidays with Episode 145 as Ryan Rosenblatt joins us to break down Netflix’s acquisition of the U.S. broadcast rights for the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups! The streaming service has tens of millions of subscribers, and they will now be the sole broadcast provider for the next two Women’s World Cup tournaments. Ryan Rosenblatt, who has amazing insight on the intricacies behind these sorts of deals, comes on the show to discuss those details. From the ramp up in production to the addressing of their recent failures with one-off sporting events to how accessible they would need to make each match, it’s a great conversation that has some thoughtful approaches to what Netflix could and should do as well as the sharing of the real concerns facing the streaming service as it prepares to bring the tournament to a national audience. They have 2.5 years to make things happen, which is still a good bit of time. But, it’s short enough that the urgency needs to be there for Netflix to put together the production that they want and make it accessible to American sports fans, particularly those who wish to watch the USWNT. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Women’s National Team have two huge road friendlies coming up over the next week against England and the Netherlands, and a couple of players make announcements that will shape the future of the player pool. We discuss it all on Episode 144. The USWNT are in Europe to take on England and the Dutch on the road. With a roster that’s a mix of veterans and young players hoping to make an impact, it’s going to be a big test for Emma Hayes’s group as she begins to evaluate where this player pool can go during this World Cup cycle. After the break, we discuss the two huge announcements from players in the program: Lily Yohannes committing her future to the USWNT and Alyssa Naeher announcing her retirement from the national team. Both are huge moves that will affect the player pool for the future, and we discuss both announcements at length. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Men’s National Team had a difficult October window, and we recap it on Episode 143. The USMNT had two tough matches against Concacaf opponents, the first matches with Mauricio Pochettino in charge. We review the 2-0 win against Panama and then spend some time discussing what happened in the 2-0 loss to Mexico. There’s a lot of things that the USMNT must face if they wish to improve, so we answer some questions and lay some truths on the table. After the break, we discuss the U.S. drawing Jamaica for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. Jamaica won their group in the League A group stage, so they’re ready to take the next step and take out another seeded team like they did with Canada last year. The USMNT need to take Jamaica seriously and approach this match with the same intensity that the Reggae Boyz will if they want to defend their title once again. Don’t forget to follow us on 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States Men’s National Team are back and set to begin the Mauricio Pochettino era! We preview the upcoming matches against Panama and Mexico on Episode 142. The USMNT have a new coach, and while his first roster may have already undergone some changes due to various injuries, everyone has a fresh approach to this training camp. We go through the roster and note who’s absent as well as who is getting a fresh start (and a new shot) to show that they can be a productive part of this player pool. Competition is the theme of this camp, and every position feels like it’s up for grabs. After the break, we discuss the two opponents for the USMNT, as they take on Panama in Austin and then head to Guadalajara for a rare road friendly against Mexico. There’s one thing that we should be looking for in this camp above all else: competitive fire and a sense of urgency to improve and get better. The team has dropped off in several ways over the past few months, but with a new coach in charge, it means a fresh start and a chance to get back on track. Don’t forget to follow us on 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices