U.S. Group D Favorites, McKennie, Balogun, Pepi score in UCL & More

Alexi Lalas and David Mosse are back with a new episode of State of the Union and we’re talking all things 2026 FIFA World Cup™. Alexi dives into his experience at the draw in Washington DC before he and Mosse give their thoughts on the USA’s group and whether the Stars and Stripes should be favorites to top Group D. Alexi shares his first bracket prediction for next summer’s tournament including the side he believes is going to hoist the trophy. After, Alexi and Mosse hop into the latest happenings in Europe where USA stars can’t stop scoring, with Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Weston McKennie and Ricardo Pepi ALL finding the back of the net for their clubs. In #AskAlexi, we break down the news that there will be hydration breaks in every match in next summer’s World Cup and in One for the Road, Alexi shares a touching story of giving back to the soccer community. Intro (0:00) U.S. Group D Review: Win or Bust? (10:05) Alexi's Way-Too-Early Knockout Bracket (20:04) U.S. Abroad: Americans stay hot in UCL (29:28) #AskAlexi: MLS top league in world or USMNT top 5? (41:02) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices