Will the USMNT play on 4th of July during the 2026 World Cup? Hopefully not.

Imagine this: it's July 4th, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the United States' independence, and the U.S. men's national team is playing a World Cup match on their home turf. Celebrating the nation's birthday than with a thrilling game of soccer, fireworks, barbecues, and the USMNT smashing it on the world’s biggest stage – what could be more American than that?

However, while this sounds like the perfect match for the World Cup's efforts to grow the sport in the U.S., it might be more of a long shot than a realistic expectation. The key to this dream game lies in the USMNT’s performance in the group stage.

Will the USMNT play on July 4th during the 2026 World Cup?

Here’s the twist: To play on July 4th, the U.S. men's national team would need to finish third in their group and still qualify for the knockout rounds based on being one of the best third-place finishers. It’s a tough road, but not impossible.

To have even a chance to qualify for a 4th of July match, the USMNT would probably need to underperform in the group stage, finishing third and hoping for a favorable outcome across the other groups. That means no dominating victories, no standout performances – just enough to sneak through. And if they do make it to the knockout rounds, there’s a chance they could be scheduled to play on America’s big day.

However, let’s be real. The true blame here might lie with the organizers, especially FIFA, for not automatically scheduling a U.S. match on July 4th, especially with the tournament being held on home soil. The absence of such a match, given the historic occasion, feels like a missed opportunity to capture the country’s full attention and excitement for the sport.

In the end, while a 4th of July game for the USMNT is the ultimate dream scenario, it’s one that could only come through a combination of luck, strategic timing, and – let’s face it – a bit of underachievement. But who knows? Maybe 2026 will be full of surprises, and American soccer fans will get the World Cup moment they never expected.

We're looking at you, England.