When Mauricio Pochettino signed on last fall, only 10 international windows — nine regular FIFA dates, plus the 2025 Gold Cup — separated the USMNT from the 2026 World Cup. After each window, “Ten Windows” digs into key developments and charts the USMNT’s progress towards 2026.
Results this window:
Panama 1, U.S. 0 (Waterman 90+4), Concacaf Nations League semifinal; Canada 2, U.S. 1 (Oluwaseyi 27, David 59; Agyemang 35), Concacaf Nations League third-place game.
The story this window:
It’s ‘late early’ for Pochettino’s USMNT
The World Cup kicks off in 444 days. The U.S. men’s national team has only seven more international windows between now and then, and only one of those – this summer’s Gold Cup – will include competitive matches.
It does not seem like much time to prepare for the most important tournament of many USMNT fans’ lifetimes. But Mauricio Pochettino clearly believes it will be time enough:
Mauricio Pochettino: "Negativity? Where is the negativity?"
— Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) March 24, 2025
"Pessimism maybe, yes, but you see in the World Cup teams that were building were not good until right at the World Cup. I want to send the message to the fans: don't be pessimistic or get bad feelings." #USMNT
Poch: If we are going to make mistakes, I rather we do it now because we have time. If it happens in 1 year, then "Houston, we have a problem. SOS." #USMNT
— Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) March 24, 2025
Maybe he’s correct. Maybe it’s too soon to worry. Maybe we’re only a couple windows away from the players fully adapting to Pochettino’s system, from Pochettino making shrewder tactical and personnel decisions, from a healthier roster pool. Maybe the U.S. storms to the quarterfinals or better and we look back on this Nations League as an amusing footnote, the early obstacle in our USMNT heroes’ journey.
