US Soccer are yet to appoint a new long-term head coach for the USMNT, and are feeling "pressure" over their decision ahead of a huge three-year period for the nation.
The USMNT will feature in the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup, with both competitions being hosted in the United States. US Soccer has been preparing for this moment for a long time, and after fielding the youngest starting XI in the 2022 World Cup, their talent will be ready to blossom by the time 2026 rolls around.
Following his sacking from Leeds United, Jesse Marsch has been one of the many names rumoured to be in the running for the USMNT role, while World Cup winner Thierry Henry has also been linked. It's a decision that US Soccer can't afford to get wrong, and former Houston Dynamo president Chris Canetti is not surprised that they're feeling "pressure" at this time.
Canetti is the president for Hoston's 2026 World Cup bid committee, and was successful after the city was awarded the rights to host matches in just over three years time. Like all US Soccer fans, Canetti is extremely optimistic about the future of the USMNT, but is aware of the pressure they're facing as they look to hire the perfect coach.
The United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994, but US Soccer has grown enormously since then and a tremendous amount of work has taken place behind the scenes to ensure that they're ready for 2026 - and not just a team to make up the numbers. Gregg Berhalter led the USMNT to the last 16 in the recent World Cup, but they're yet to appoint a new head coach after his contract expired.
Canetti spoke exclusively to Mirror Sport about what the 2026 World Cup means to the United States as a nation, and commented on the pressures they're facing to get key appointments right. When asked if the board are facing pressure over their next appointment, Canetti said: "Yeah I'd think so, tremendous opportunity there with a wealth of talent and a lot of upsides.
"They're certainly going through a transition now and they're resetting for the future. I'd imagine there are so many people throwing their hat into the ring for those jobs, and trying to be a part of it from across the globe."
If there wasn't already enough pressure, FIFA has even claimed that it could be the largest sporting event in history - something that Canetti is proud to be a part of. "FIFA is even positioning this as the largest sporting event in the history of the world with three countries and 16 cities, at least 80 matches," Canetti added.
"All those things considered it's going to be massive. I still think our last World Cup in 1994 is the highest attended on record, so I can only imagine what we are going to be able to produce here in 2026.
"Soccer is a sport that's still growing here in this country, and the trajectory is sky high. We have come such a long way as a soccer nation since 1994, and of course the main legacy in 94 was the birth of Major League Soccer in 96.
"When you look at the growth of that league not just here but where you are, that's had such a monumental and positive impact on growing the game in this country. When you think of what 94 meant in terms of legacy and growth, we are now multiple times a soccer nation now than what we were in 94.
"With this event here, and it being such a big event, I can't imagine the impact it's going to have on growing our country and really taking it to the next level. That's why it was so vital for North America to win this bid, and in particular in my case, so vital for Houston too."
After missing out on the 2018 World Cup, the USMNT were back with a bang in 2022 and made it out of a tough group. They may have lost at the first knockout stage against the Netherlands, but Canetti is hopeful that they can go far in 2026 in front of their own fans.
"I think US Soccer fans are optimistic, we have a young core of exciting talent that's playing around the world with the biggest clubs. I think we were the youngest team at the World Cup, it's only going to get better over the next few years.
"I remember in 2002 when the US got all the way to the quarter final against Germany, I remember the enthusiasm and the energy. I watched the game at 8am, Times Square, New York, on a Saturday and to see the buzz even back then was incredible.
"Hopefully the US can make a deep run in 2026 and on top of just having the tournament here, if they can go far that will certainly go miles in really helping to grow the sport here. But I'd say most US Soccer fans who are really paying attention and really involved are really optimistic about what could happen."
The USMNT will have the perfect chance to prepare for the World Cup when they host Copa America in 2024, and can hopefully paper over any cracks then they welcome the rest of the world in 2026. It's not going to be easy, but if they can get it right, who knows what they can achieve.
