One Year to Go: USMNT Outlook, Players That Will Decide 2026 FIFA World Cup

With just one year until the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup kicks off on home soil, Alexi Lalas, David Mosse, and Rob Stone reunite to break down what success actually means for the USMNT next summer. From past performance stats and future expectations, the crew evaluates how far this team has come since 1994, 2002, and 2014—and how far they still need to go. Alexi opens the show with a look at what's ahead for the team, including a pivotal Gold Cup. A listener chimes in for #AskAlexi , including a classic debate: 1994 vs. 2026? Then, it’s a global check-in with Alexi’s World Cup Power Rankings. Spain tops the list, but who joins them in the top ten? And who are the five players that could define the 2026 tournament? All that, plus a USMNT style-of-play debate and historical FIFA rankings comparisons. Don’t miss this milestone episode. Intro(0:00) What Does Success Look for the USMNT? (3:42) USMNT Style of Play Debate (18:11) USMNT Historical Comparison (25:09) 1994 vs Today (30:39) Alexi's Top 10 World Cup Power Rankings (43:13) Players That Will Decide the 2026 FIFA World Cup (51:15) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices