The 2026 World Cup kicks off later this week, and the USA will be hoping for a deep run in the tournament, given that they are one of the host nations.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been drawn in Group D alongside Paraguay, Turkey and Australia, which is a group they should probably be qualifying from.
However, former USMNT star Clint Dempsey is not confident that his country will make it much further than the group stage, backing a Round of 16 exit.
Clint Dempsey predicts USMNT to be knocked out of World Cup in Round of 16
Because the tournament has more teams this year, there will be Round of 32 knockout games taking place, followed by the Round of 16.
Dempsey backs the USA to make it past the last-32, but he is not confident they will surpass their potential last-16 opponents.
Speaking to Men in Blazers, he said: “I think that’s kind of where we are. I think that’s a fair grade, us being in 16th and getting to the Round of 16.
“But hopefully I’m wrong. Hopefully, they’re heavyweights, and we go on to the quarters and the semis.”
If Dempsey is correct in his prediction, the USA will match their performance from the 2022 World Cup, where they were knocked out by the Netherlands in the Round of 16.
But should they manage to get all the way to the quarters, the USMNT will equal their best run at the tournament since 2002, when they were bested by Germany.
USMNT potential opponents in World Cup Round of 32
A deep run at this summer’s World Cup will, however, almost certainly depend on where the US finish in their group.
If the US win Group D, they will take on one of the third-place teams from Groups B, E, F, I, or J.
Should Pochettino’s side finish second in their group, they will face the runner-up from Group G, which includes Belgium, Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, finishing third is one of the worst-case scenarios, throwing up potential meetings with the winners of Groups E, I and K.
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