First Touch ’26 - USA

First Touch | World Soccer · Jan 29, 2026 · 28m

2026 could be the biggest year in the history of American soccer. As co-hosts of the largest World Cup ever, the U.S. men’s national team enters the tournament with real expectations—and a familiar question hanging over everything: is this finally the tipping point where the sport stops disappearing for four years at a time? In this World Cup Capsule, David Gass breaks down the full story of the Red, White, and Blue, with USMNT icon Clint Dempsey weighing in on what a deep run could mean for the country.

We trace the surprisingly deep roots of the game in the United States—early leagues, the…