The Best Sports Illustrated Photos From the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup Run

The U.S. co-hosted the FIFA World Cup in the summer of 2026 for the first time in over 30 years. The Americans swiftly captured hometown hearts with their infectious team energy, promising youngsters and record-breaking stardom in the group stage.

Although the USMNT’s campaign ended in shocking humiliation in the round of 16, the squad is confident in the foundation it laid this summer, one for the continued love and growth of the game across North America.

Check out the best work from Sports Illustrated photographer Kohjiro Kinno, who documented the USMNT’s World Cup journey every step of the way.

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USMNT vs. Paraguay (Group D)

The Stars and Stripes were in lock-step at SoFi Stadium for the duration of the World Cup opener, easily dismantling Paraguay 4–1 to send shock waves across North America and enrapture brand new fans just tuning in.

American pop icon Katy Perry headlined the U.S.’s opening ceremony for the World Cup in Inglewood, Calif. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

This was the moment Folarin Balogun, on his World Cup debut, announced himself to the world. The close-up tap-in was the first of two goals he scored on the night. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

The dominant win served to earn the investment of USMNT supporters all over the country, many of whom had largely questioned the team’s potential. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

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USMNT vs. Australia (Group D)

The U.S. followed up its brilliant display against Paraguay with a solid 2–0 win over a physical and gritty Australian side. It marked the first time since 1930 that the USMNT had two group stage victories at the World Cup. The win also solidified the team’s place atop Group D, with a match to spare.

Lumen Field in Seattle was its quintessential electrifying atmosphere, full of Americans. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

The USMNT players, including Balogun (left) and Antonee Robinson (right), were fired up the entire match, but especially after Balogun forced an own-goal for Australia in the 11th minute. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

21-year-old defender Alex Freeman, the youngest player on team, had a dominant showing against Australia. He scored the team’s second goal with a Super Man-like diving header, bringing promise to the future of the program. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

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USMNT vs. Türkiye (Group D)

Mauricio Pochettino’s men fell to the hands of Türkiye—specifically 21-year-old Turkish star Arda Güler—at SoFi Stadium; however, the 3–2 loss ultimately meant nothing, as the U.S. had already won out Group D and the Turkish were already sent packing.

The USMNT’s talisman, Christian Pulisic (right), struggled to get involved all tournament long. He was plagued with a calf injury for much of the group stage before suffering a microfracture in the round of 16. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

Star midfielder Weston McKennie couldn’t be the leader the team needed him to be in a U.S. lineup full of mostly second-string players against already-eliminated Türkiye. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

The USMNT’s backline of mostly second-string players was picked apart all night long, raising worrying concerns about the lack of quality depth in the team’s defensive positions. | Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated

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USMNT vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Round of 32)

The Stars and Stripes swiftly returned to winning ways, downing a physically-imposing Bosnia and Herzegovina team 2–0 at Levi’s Stadium. The victory in Santa Clara, Calif. marked the U.S.’s first knockout win in 24 years, dating back to the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan.

Mauricio Pochettino had proven himself to the American people. | Kohjiro Kinno/ Sports Illustrated

Balogun (right) was flashed a controversial red card in the 64th minute, a call that would soon ignite one of the biggest scandals of the tournament and the rattle the USMNT. | Kohjiro Kinno/ Sports Illustrated

The USMNT’s success through the round of 32 meant it entered the round of 16 against top-10 global power Belgium as the marginal favorite to win. | Kohjiro Kinno/ Sports Illustrated

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USMNT vs. Belgium (Round of 16)

The USMNT suffered a shock 4–1 defeat to Belgium at Lumen Field, silencing even Seattle’s notoriously raucous crowd. The team looked completely out of sorts from the opening whistle, timid and back-footed in a way that contradicted its tournament identity up until that point. Countless individual errors were the nail in the coffin for a humiliating affair, leaving a bitter taste to the U.S.’s otherwise savory summer.

The Americans’ dismal performances were later attested, in part, to the chaos that ensued in the hours before kickoff, in which FIFA issued a historic one-year suspension of Balogun’s red card, a decision that involved U.S. President Donald Trump. The public storm that FIFA’s controversial reversal created rattled the U.S. players, while simultaneously firing up the Belgians.

Belgium out-manned the USMNT and was first to every ball. | Kohjiro Kinno/ Sports Illustrated

Captain and center back Tim Ream failed to rectify a blunder made by goalkeeper Matt Freese, forced to watch the ball roll into the back of the net for Belgium’s third of the night. | Kohjiro Kinno/ Sports Illustrated

The USMNT was solemn and disheartened after the shock defeat, yet still maintain a lot of faith in the future of the program. | Kohjiro Kinno/ Sports Illustrated