U.S. vs Ecuador & Australia Preview + 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Outlook

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse gear up for the USMNT’s October window with plenty of burning questions. Will the U.S. lock in a back three, or shift back to a traditional four? How will they adapt without Dest — and with Jedi Robinson on limited minutes? And if you bring four goalkeepers, shouldn’t at least two get a shot? Alexi reveals his Starting XI for the window — featuring Matt Freese in goal, a veteran back line, and Pulisic and Balogun leading the charge against Ecuador and Australia. Around the globe, World Cup qualifying gets wild: CAF, AFC, UEFA, and CONCACAF races all heating up, while MLS playoff spots hang in the balance with Messi’s Miami fighting for position and Jordi Alba’s farewell on the horizon. Then it’s #AskAlexi and One for the Road , where Alexi salutes Darlington Nagbe — one of the best to ever do it. Intro (0:00) 3 Burning Questions for USMNT Window: Back 3 vs Back 4? (5:02) Alexi’s Best Starting XI (11:36) 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Preview (21:07) MLS Weekend Preview: Messi double duty? (32:42) #AskAlexi: Why the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be a huge success (37:31) Happy Trails Darlington Nagbe - Alexi’s GOAT (44:39) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices