The 2026 FIFA World Cup is officially underway. Co-host Mexico handled business on Thursday, beating South Africa 2-0 at the Mexico City Stadium behind goals from Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez in a match that produced three red cards.
Now the spotlight shifts to the other co-host, as the United States open their Group D campaign against Paraguay tonight at 9 p.m. ET at Los Angeles Stadium. Mauricio Pochettino’s squad enters with arguably the deepest roster in the country’s history, but Nick Wright identified one concern that could undermine everything else.
Nick Wright Questions Whether An MLS Goalkeeper Can Hold Up On The World Cup Stage
Wright laid out his overall assessment of the USMNT’s chances during a segment on “First Things First,” giving them a 3% probability of winning the tournament while acknowledging the advantages working in their favor.
“Home field advantage is going to matter,” Wright said. “The fact that they got a dream group draw is going to matter as far as their path to being as smooth as possible through the potential knockout round.”
“They are an experienced team,” Wright added. “Flip side, they are going to be tonight the first team ever to start a goalkeeper from Major League Soccer in a World Cup game. That makes me a little nervous.”
That goalkeeper is 27-year-old Matt Freese, who plays for New York City FC, and has emerged as Pochettino’s clear first choice over the past year despite having earned his first senior cap just 12 months ago.
Freese has started 15 of the USMNT’s last 18 matches, including every game at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, to leapfrog 2022 World Cup starter Matt Turner.
Wright’s concern isn’t without merit because no USMNT goalkeeper has started a World Cup match while playing domestically in MLS, and the jump in quality from league play to a global tournament is significant.
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However, the rest of the roster is built to minimize the burden on whoever is between the posts. Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, and Weston McKennie all play at the highest levels of European football and will be tasked with controlling possession and creating chances.
Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards anchors a back line designed to protect Freese, and Pochettino’s high-pressing system is structured to keep opponents away from the American goal as much as possible.
Here’s the full USMNT Group D schedule:
- Friday, June 12: USA vs. Paraguay, Los Angeles Stadium, 9 p.m. ET
- Friday, June 19: USA vs. Australia, Seattle Stadium, 3 p.m. ET
- Thursday, June 25: USA vs. Turkiye, Los Angeles Stadium, 10 p.m. ET
With two of three matches at home in Los Angeles and a passionate crowd behind them, the USMNT should be able to advance to the knockouts comfortably.
