Tonight, the United States being their 2026 World Cup campaign when they take on Paraguay.
It's a moment that's been a decade in the making, and despite the bevy of issues surrounding the tournament, it's a crucial moment for this team and this sport in this country.
Ahead of the match, here are three keys to watch for as the USMNT attempt to kick things off with three points.
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Who will play for the US?
"Well, duh, Ben!" you're probably saying. "Who plays is a fundamentally important question!"
Obviously, it's a fundamental piece of the puzzle. But there are a few key areas where I don't think we have a clear idea of what head coach Mauricio Pochettino wants to do, and one key area where fitness is a huge unknown.
First, in goal. We still don't know who the first-choice 'keeper will be. If I had to put money on it, I'd go with Pochettino picking Matt Freese. The New York City FC goalie has been his preferred option for the last year, starting 15 of the USMNT's 19 matches since last June. He's a solid shotstopper and good with the ball at his feet.
Then there's Matt Turner, the starter in 2022. Now back in New England after a frustrating stint in Arsenal, Turner is back to elite form at the club level, leading MLS in goals-minus-expected-goals (essentially, goals prevented). He's certainly more limited with the ball at his feet, but he's also better at the most important aspect of goalkeeping: stopping goals.
Again, my guess is Freese gets the start, but I can't shake a feeling that it's not fully settled.
Another decision I don't feel like I have a great handle on is midfield. Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman started the match against Germany, and after Tillman initially started in a more advanced role, he eventually switched positions with McKennie, dropping back to play next to Tyler Adams. In large part, this was designed to help McKennie, who struggled at times with Germany's movement, and has looked more comfortable in a more advanced role for Juventus.
The thing is, Tillman is also more comfortable and more effective as a No. 10. Does Pochettino start both of them and roll with what is his best on-paper midfield? Or is there a chance Sebastian Berhalter slots in as a more natural No. 8 next to Adams, and only one of McKennie and Tillman gets the start? It would certainly be a more conservative choice, and there are pros and cons to both choices.
The final question mark is down to health: is Chris Richards able to start? The Crystal Palace center back is far and away the best defender on this roster and one of the most important players to this team, but he hasn't played a competitive match since suffering an ankle injury in mid-May. If he's even 80% fit and isn't a major risk for re-injury, he needs to start. It's the World Cup, after all!
What does the crowd look like?
The United States played their final pre-World Cup friendly in front of a packed Soldier Field. They lost 2-1 to Germany, but it was a more than respectable performance – it was actually a bit of a morale boost.
Ben Wright
As impressive as the on-field performance was, though, the crowd was even better. The sellout crowd of 63,636 was boisterous and loud throughout the entire match, and it felt like a World Cup atmosphere.
📍Soldier Field Chicago, Illinois
— Douglas Reyes-Ceron (@dreyesceron.bsky.social) June 6, 2026 at 1:29 PM
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All the off-field issues surrounding the World Cup have dampened a lot of the excitement heading into the tournament, but now that we're on the doorstep, those are starting to fade into the background. For me, at least.
Watching videos of South Korean fans partying in Mexico City, or Scottish fans waking up a neighborhood with bagpipes, or German fan @FreddyLA7's viral road trip across America has given me a full case of World Cup fever. It's reminded me of the positives of this sport, and honestly, it's reminded me of the good that is still very much present in our continent and in our country.
This is a home World Cup. Home-field advantage is a real, powerful, and somewhat unexplainable thing. I'm hoping for big things from Los Angeles.
Hydration break
Hydration breaks were the story of opening day. And not for good reason.
We all knew FIFA’s motivations for the hydration break was financial and not “player safety” but my god how was it over exploited this fast. https://t.co/7oaXCmp7pF pic.twitter.com/7fGyd1krgB
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) June 11, 2026
In retrospect, it was inevitable that FIFA's plan all along for the three-minute break midway through each half was, of course, to fill it with ads. Why else would they mandate hydration breaks in indoor stadiums, or in matches like South Korea's 2-1 win over Czechia in a balmy 71º?
These breaks essentially split the game into quarters. I hate it, but it's also the reality of this tournament. And they're going to play a big role in the tournament.
They're a double-edged sword. On one side, teams can use the breaks to make key adjustments, react to their opponents, and fine-tune their game-plan. We've seen this already under Pochettino with the United States, where his team comes out of the break sharper and with more clear ideas.
We've also seen the flip side, where momentum fully shifts after the break, and a team that had been vibing all of a sudden looks flat. How the US handle these breaks, make adjustments, and maintain a high level through it will be crucial to getting three points in their opening match.
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!
