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If reaching the knockouts four times since the turn of the century has raised expectations of the USMNT in general, co-hosting the 2026 World Cup has cranked everything up several notches. The pressure is beginning to show on Mauricio Pochettino, who's cut a cranky figure of late, but the more the Argentine is able to absorb, the better for his star players, most notably Christian Pulisic.The team's captain and poster boy has tightened up considerably of late, producing just two assists for his club side AC Milan this calendar year. It's a concerning slump, but his attacking stablemates Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Haji Wright are each coming off superb campaigns.
Whisper it, but the surprising selection of Alejandro Zendejas — the livewire Club América No.10 — feels like a Plan B should Pulisic continue to struggle for form. They should be well-covered. It's in the center of the park that the USMNT look threadbare.
Tyler Adams is the only out-and-out defensive midfielder on the roster, while Pochettino has selected no fewer than 10 defenders. The omissions of both Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris came as a huge shock considering Adams' long history of injuries, and while Weston McKennie can drop back to provide cover, that seems a waste of Juventus' all-time third-highest Champions League goalscorer's offensive talents.In this article, we outline the World Cup broadcasters in the USA and what you need to do if you're overseas and want to watch "The Stars and Stripes" — including free live streams. Keep scrolling for USA's fixtures, roster and more.
