Team USA fell short in their attempt to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in more than two decades, and now will have four years to wait before they get the chance to try again.
After the team notched its first win against a European opponent since 2022 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, they struggled against a talented Belgium team that had some extra motivation after FIFA reversed Team USA star Falorin Balogun’s red card.
Belgium jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. While Team USA tied the game on a free kick, Belgium scored three unanswered goals to win 4-1 and move on to the quarterfinals. The loss sends the United States to a long break before they get the chance to compete for a World Cup victory again.
Team USA’s Run Comes to an End Against Belgium
As CBS Sports noted, Team USA already pulled off an unlikely win against Bosnia last week, ending a long winless streak against European opponents.
“The win snapped a 10-game losing streak for the U.S. against European teams dating to a tie against England in the 2022 World Cup,” the report noted. “It marked the first win in the World Cup for the Americans against a European team since a win over Portugal in the 2002 opener. They were winless in 13 straight World Cup matchups against European teams since then, including a 2-1 loss in extra time to Belgium in the round of 16 in 2014.”
But the streak ended at one, with the United States struggling from the onset against Belgium and offering no real offensive threat.
Team USA Faces Four-Year Wait
The next World Cup will be held in 2030 and hosted jointly by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Team USA didn’t need to do anything to qualify for the 2026 World Cup other than prepare the venues, with hosting teams earning an automatic bid for the tournament. But they will have more work to do in order to qualify for the 2030 World Cup.
In order to qualify for the World Cup, nations must compete in regional qualifying tournaments held by their continental confederations. As ESPN reported, the North and Central American and Caribbean will have six automatic qualifying spots in the 2030 World Cup with a seventh available through an intercontinental playoff.
“Concacaf said Friday that qualifying will start in September 2027 with its teams ranked 14th through 35th playing a home-and-home, total-goals first round,” the February report noted. “The 11 winners will advance to the second round along with its top 13-ranked nations. The 24 teams will be split into six four-team groups and each nation will play six matches, in October and November 2027, and March 2028.”
While it’s not clear whether Team USA would be favored to return to the World Cup, they have established a track record of success through recent decades and boast a long-term strategy to continue building the sport in the United States.
U.S. Soccer noted that its “Pathways Strategy” aims to continue funneling new talent into the sport.
“Pathways is one way that vision comes to life. It is U.S. Soccer’s commitment to creating a more connected system that is easier to navigate, more accessible, and better aligned around the needs of players and participants,” the report noted. “The goal is simple: help more people find the right environment for them, stay in the game longer, and reach their full potential — wherever their soccer journey begins.”
Will Team USA Make Next World Cup? What it Will Take to Return in 2030