About this episode
The stage is set! The U.S. Men’s National Team was drawn into Group D along with Paraguay, Australia and the winner of UEFA Playoff C – either Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia or Türkiye – at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Draw held Dec. 5 in Washington, D.C. We’re months away from the first group stage match for the Americans against Paraguay on June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. So, what comes next? Sporting Director Matt Crocker joins the show to take us behind the scenes of U.S. Soccer’s preparations in the months ahead and the belief building around the USMNT, which enters 2026 on a five-match unbeaten streak. 0:37 – Intro with David Gass and Meghan Klingenberg 4:45 – Gass and Kling interview Matt Crocker 8 46 – The process of scouting Paraguay and Australia 9:55 – How the sporting department works with USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino 12:45 – On how the staff can prepare for a team yet to be determined in UEFA Playoff C 14:45 – Crocker's assessment of wins over Australia in October and Paraguay in November 17:20 – The competitive advantage we don't realize the U.S. has playing on home soil 20:30 – The ‘traveling circus’ of a World Cup camp and building the best environment for the players 24:00 – How U.S. Soccer embraces the families along for the ride 26:20 – Changing to a 48-team tournament 27:35 – “Our objective is to win the World Cup” 29:10 – “I'm a snotty-nosed little soccer kid from Wales” 31:50 – Learn more about U.S. Soccer’s ‘Never Chase Reality’ campaign 33:00 – How the 2026 FIFA World Cup and upcoming tournaments will give U.S. Soccer the platform to grow and elevate soccer in America 38:10 – Ask the Pros presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts https://youtu.be/D3yyRji0gyI The U.S. Soccer Podcast is a production from U.S. Soccer hosted by David Gass, Meghan Klingenberg and Alejandro Bedoya. The podcast brings you in-depth interviews with U.S. Soccer stars of the past, present and future. Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays. Hosts: David Gass, Meghan Klingenberg Guest: Matt Crocker Producer: Matthew Nelson To learn more, visit http://www.ussoccer.com/podcast For more on Matt Crocker, visit https://www.ussoccer.com/executive-leadership/matt-crocker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices