The 2026 World Cup keeps rolling! The United States take on Türkiye tonight at 9 pm CT, having already clinched the top spot in Group D. Türkiye, meanwhile, are already eliminated from the World Cup, having lost their first two matches.
While nothing is technically on the line tonight, it's still important for the US to keep the momentum rolling – and to make sure they head into the Round of 32 in the best possible shape. Here are three things to keep an eye on in this match.
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How much does Mauricio Pochettino rotate?
Four USMNT players have received yellow cards during the group stage. Per FIFA rules, any player who receives two yellow cards in the group stage will be suspended for the Round of 32, with yellow card counts resetting before the Round of 16.
Four USMNT players – Tyler Adams, Chris Richards, Folarin Balogun, and Antonee Robinson – have been booked, and a yellow card against Türkiye would see them suspended for their first knockout match. Pochettino said in his pre-match press conference that none of them will be risked.
Mauricio Pochettino says he won't risk the four #USMNT players - Adams, Richards, Balogun & Robinson - v #Turkey who are on yellow cards and would be banned for R32 tie if picked up another booking.
— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) June 24, 2026
Says Christian Pulisic being assessed by medical staff with a view to deciding…
Christian Pulisic, on the other hand, didn't play against Australia with a calf injury, and returned to full-team training this week. He says he'll be back against Türkiye, and getting him back up to speed before a knockout match is appealing. Losing him to reinjury, especially against a Türkiye side desperate to leave the tournament with some measure of pride intact, is less appealing.
Were I in charge, I'd make 10 changes to the squad, not let any player on a yellow card even dress, and give Pulisic 10-15 minutes at the end of the match. I suspect we'll see something similar from Pochettino.
• Nashville SC are hosting a watch party for the United States vs Türkiye at Geodis Park. Get your free tickets here.
• The American Outlaws host their watch parties at Tailgate on Music Row.
• Fogg Street Lawn Club has every World Cup match on.
What's the vibe of the game?
Türkiye have already been eliminated from the tournament, while the United States are locked in to first place in their group. This match means absolutely nothing for seeding, positioning, or advancement.
Türkiye are furious, though. Turkish media and fans have absolutely hammered this team all week, with losses to Australia and Paraguay viewed as simply unacceptable.
They can't earn anything from this match, but they can at least leave the tournament on something resembling a positive note. Young players can use this as a chance to make their case to the new manager (there will certainly be a managerial change after this tournament) and stake their claim for greater involvement going forward.
So far at the World Cup, only Spain have had a higher field tilt (essentially the percentage of their touches in dangerous areas) than Türkiye. No one has had more possession. Only Switzerland have missed more than Türkiye's seven "big chances", and they've taken a staggering 62 shots without scoring a goal. Can they turn it around against the United States?
Can the USMNT keep the momentum going?
Nothing is on the line in this match, but it's still a World Cup match on home soil. More people will be watching than ever, and it's a chance to continue to attract fans to this team.
The Paraguay match was the best performance a generation of USMNT fans have ever witnessed. They could lose this match 15-0 and still advance, or they could put in another strong showing to make it a perfect start to the tournament. That kind of momentum and earned credibility is important.
The World Cup is coming to the United States this summer, and more people than ever are curious about soccer in this country!
If you know someone who might be interested, consider sending them a gift subscription to SixOneFive Soccer, where we'll be covering the USMNT and the tournament at large. They might even get hooked and stick around for the MLS season!
