Europe

The United States men’s national team only have four games left to play until the 2026 World Cup. That’s right, there are just four 2026 USMNT friendlies before the Stars and Stripes take on the planet’s best in the World Cup.

U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino will get to test his players against Europe’s elite next year with top European nations on the schedule.

Here’s a look at who the USMNT will face before the World Cup next summer.

2026 USMNT friendlies

Exact dates are still TBA.

The expanded 48-team World Cup for 2026 will be the biggest yet and include several newcomers on the world’s premier soccer stage. Here are the countries playing in their first World Cup at the 2026 edition.

For this list we’ll split countries into three different categories.

1. True newcomers (first-ever World Cup)
2. Welcome back (second-ever World Cup)
3. It’s been awhile (10+ years since their last World Cup)

Let’s meet the new faces.

True newcomers

Lionel Messi shocked his fans over the weekend when he made a secret trip to Barcelona and posted a photo of himself in the club’s Camp Nou stadium. The Messi Barcelona trip wasn’t on anyone’s radar, not even the club’s, as the Inter Miami star visited the place he called home for decades.

Following his brace on Saturday during Inter Miami’s 4-0 playoff victory vs. Nashville SC, Messi and Rodrigo de Paul took a brief trip to Barcelona to see the progress on the Camp Nou which has been under construction for three years.

The United States men’s national team will be without star player Christian Pulisic for the upcoming November friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay. For fans asking why is Pulisic not playing for US? Here’s why.

Pulisic is still recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered while playing for the USMNT against Australia on Oct. 14. The U.S. national team and Pulisic’s club AC Milan have made an agreement to keep the 27-year-old forward in Italy for the November international window.

Why is Pulisic not playing for US in November friendlies

An incredible Tanner Tessmann Europa League goal proved to be the winner during Lyon’s opening game in the competition vs. FC Utrecht. It was a spectacular strike from the American midfielder.

The 24-year-old came off the bench for Lyon in the 65th minute and had an immediate impact with a fantastic goal 10 minutes later.

Tanner Tessmann Europa League goal vs. Utrecht

The art of the sweeper keeper has been nearly perfected by Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, but on Thursday Barcelona's Joan García proved that the role is harder than it looks.

In the 33rd minute García came way out of his box to stop a Real Oviedo attack. The 24-year-old did well to intercept and control the ball… but then he passed it right to an Oviedo player.

Joan García error vs. Oviedo

Ousmane Dembélé winning the 2025 Ballon d’Or didn’t sit right with everyone with the father of runner-up Lamine Yamal being one of the most vocal.

Mounir Nasraou, Yamal’s father, was irate that his 18-year-old son didn’t become the award’s youngest winner in history on Monday. Nasraou went as far as to say that Yamal not winning the award was incredibly disrespectful.

Lamine Yamal father reaction to Ballon d’Or

Nasraou didn’t want to say that Dembélé’s triumph was a robbery, but he may as well have said it with his fiery tirade about the 2025 award.

Marcus Rashford’s renaissance performance for Barcelona vs. Newcastle on Thursday stunned fans and has continued to raise eyebrows due to the statistics that followed.

Rashford bagged a beautiful brace for Barcelona with a precise header and then a GOLAZO from distance.

Marcus Rashford scores his first goal for Barcelona

Of course it had to be back on English soil pic.twitter.com/Q7p34VsX2g

A Tim Weah goal vs Real Madrid made history on Tuesday as the Marseille forward became the first American to score a Champions League goal at the Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid went on to win the game 2-1.

Weah opened the scoring in the 22nd minute for the French club following a quick counter attack. Real Madrid were dispossessed near midfield and Mason Greenwood found Weah for the goal.

Tim Weah goal vs Real Madrid