2026 World Cup: President Donald Trump wishes USMNT luck ahead of first game
Yahoo Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- The US Men's National Team (USMNT) is set to play Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday night as part of their preparation for the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting for the first time in 32 years.
- President Donald Trump called the team and head coach Mauricio Pochettino, offering encouragement and expressing confidence that the team could win the tournament, adding pressure given the USMNT's limited World Cup success historically.
- The USMNT's best World Cup performances include a third-place finish in 1930 and reaching the quarterfinals in 2002, with recent tournaments seeing elimination in the Round of 16.
- Trump has collaborated with FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of the World Cup and was awarded the first FIFA Peace Prize, a decision that sparked criticism over FIFA's political neutrality.
- The ACLU issued a travel advisory for visitors to the 2026 World Cup in the US, warning of potential human rights abuses and advising fans to exercise caution while in the country.