Belian: Your 2026 USA World Cup Cheat Sheet
Every four years, the whole world stops to watch the greatest athletes from the greatest game compete for the FIFA World Cup. No matter where they were or what country they supported, five billion people engaged with the last World Cup, according to FIFA’s website.
However, in the middle of Michigan, there aren’t a whole lot of options for experiencing professional soccer.
In fact, from Mount Pleasant, it would take just over 300 miles and five hours of driving to see any player who may be selected for the USA’s men’s World Cup spot. With that, those who want to cheer for their team should have a quick study guide on their players and their competition.
The Competition
This tournament is the first to include 48 nations, an increase of 16 since the last World Cup. This also means there will be a round of 32 for the first time in World Cup history.
The teams are divided into 12 groups of four. The top two teams automatically qualify for the knockout stages, while eight of the 12 third-placed teams will also qualify.
The Home Teams
For the first time since 2002, and the second time ever, there are multiple host countries for the upcoming World Cup. The hosts are Canada, Mexico and the USA.
The Americans are led by AC Milan attacker Christian Pulisic. Pulisic, who was briefly a Michigander, is by far the most decorated player on the team, having won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, one of the most desirable team trophies in soccer.
Other USA players to keep an eye on are Fulham defender Antonee Robinson, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Malik Tillman.
The USA is placed in Group D, with Australia, Paraguay and Turkey, who defeated Kosovo on March 31 to qualify.
Although the Americans are the favorites based on the FIFA rankings, both Turkey and Australia remain major threats to winning the group.
Turkey, which reached the Euro quarterfinals in 2024, will rely on the skills of youngsters Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz at this tournament.
Australia, also known as the Socceroos, advanced from its group at the last World Cup.
Canada and Mexico are both looking to bounce back from a couple of lackluster intercontinental tournaments.
During the last World Cup in 2022, neither team advanced past the group stage, with Canada losing all three games. Although Canada looked better in the 2024 Copa America, losing the bronze-final game, Mexico was left in the group stages once again.
For the Canadians, Juventus striker Jonathan David, Celtic fullback Alistair Johnston, Villarreal winger Tajon Buchanan and Bayern Munich defender Alphonso Davies will have to be their key contributors for success.
Unlike many of the other big national teams, the Mexico team is built mostly of players from their nation’s league, Liga MX. The Mexican team is led by Fenerbache’s defending midfielder Edson Álvarez and Cruz Azul’s defending midfielder Érik Lira.
The favorites
The two nations with the best anecdotal odds are Spain, which won the 2024 Euros, and Argentina, which won the last World Cup and Copa America.
Some other heavy-hitters are France, Brazil and Germany, who are perennial contenders and have won the World Cup in the past 25 years.
The Underdogs
Just like Morocco in 2022, many nations can make a surprise run for the trophy.
Senegal, which just had its 2026 Africa Cup of Nations trophy stripped away, may have a new fire lit under the team, with national superstar Sadio Mane trying to win one more trophy before his career ends.
Japan is also another team to watch out for. As a Japanese-American myself, it is hard not to have some bias for this team. However, as long as I have been watching this team, it has only missed the knockout rounds once. At the last World Cup, it topped a group that included Germany and Spain.
I have, however, been duped by this team.
In 2018, I was a 12-year-old kid watching the first-round matchup between Japan and Belgium.
After a scoreless first half, the Japan team scored two goals in five minutes, giving my pre-teen self an injection of enthusiasm and belief. However, after 20 minutes, the Belgians leveled the score with their own two goals in five minutes.
Yet, being the naive child I was, I had hope. Being minutes away from the end of regulation, Japan had a corner. However, the corner kick was immediately caught by goalkeeper Thibault Courtois, a man who has haunted my dreams and was the catalyst for the counter-attack.
The Japanese team was evenly matched in numbers, but the Belgians advanced further up the field, and I grew more fearful until they had gotten into Japan’s penalty box. The ball was heading toward Belgium’s star striker Romelu Lukaku.
Yet behind him came Nacer Chadli, who was playing in his last World Cup.
Chadli struck the ball, hit the net, and sent adolescent me through all the stages of grief, besides acceptance.
Belian’s Pick
I do not have clear favorites, but after looking at every matchup and seeing the roadmap to the final, Brazil beating Spain makes the most sense.
In the third-place game, Colombia will upset France, with my predicted golden boot, Luis Diaz, leading the squad.
The World Cup starts on June 11, with Mexico playing against South Africa in Mexico City.
