The USA men’s national soccer team is trying to expand upon what was already a sensational start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, after they dominated Paraguay by a score of 4-1 in their first match last Friday.
Fast forward a week and the USMNT has already jumped out to a 1-0 lead against Australia after an own goal conceded by Australia’s Cameron Burgess.
While there are always expectations that USA will perform at every World Cup, the stakes feel even bigger this year for two reasons: the team has a more talented roster than they’ve arguably ever had in a World Cup, and they’re playing on their home soil.
Two of Team USA’s World Cup group stage games are in Los Angeles, California, while the other (their June 19 showdown against Australia) is in Seattle, Washington.
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Playing at home in front of their own fan base is obviously beneficial in many ways. But one would assume that is also creates a lot of pressure for the team.
USA star midfielder Tyler Adams’ wife, Sarah Schmidt, spoke to this pressure during an interview she did with ABC News’ Nightline, which was published on June 18.
“I feel like the pressure is on, because we’re at home, in a home World Cup. But it’s so exciting. Like, the dream of a lifetime,” Schmidt said.
Props to Schmidt for being open about the pressure her husband and the rest of Team USA faces.
But the bottom line is that this team has already proven that they can perform under pressure at the World Cup. And fans are hoping they’ll keep this current form up as the tournament progresses.
