The World Cup year has arrived. GOAL breaks down the New Year’s resolutions for Pochettino, Hayes, Pulisic, the USMNT and the USWNT as 2026 begins.
After years of anticipation, 2026 has arrived, bringing with it a World Cup American soccer fans have been dreaming of. It’s finally starting to feel real.
The U.S. men’s national team enters 2026 in a strong position. Under Mauricio Pochettino, the group found its rhythm in the closing months of 2025, building momentum as the World Cup draws closer.
The same has long been true on the women’s side. There was never much doubt about the U.S. Women’s National Team. After winning Olympic gold in 2024, Emma Hayes spent 2025 reshaping the player pool and integrating new faces. With their own 2027 World Cup approaching, the U.S. remain among the best teams in the world.
As 2026 begins, there are clear goals for both teams. With that in mind, here’s a look at some key New Year’s resolutions for the figures shaping American soccer.
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Mauricio Pochettino: Deliver on everything
For as good as 2025 ended up going, everyone knows it was effectively a staging period for the USMNT. The results mattered, yes, but not one millionth of a percentage point as much as the ones next summer will. So, for Pochettino, there's only one focus here as we begin 2026: deliver at the World Cup.
That's ultimately why he was brought in, remember? Facing the biggest moment in this country's soccer history, U.S. Soccer handed the keys to Pochettino, an established, world-renowned coach. The task was to get the U.S. to the World Cup in a place where they could succeed, yes, but, more than anything, the task was to actually do that succeeding once the tournament itself kicked off.
It is, in many ways, an unfair ask. Nearly two years of work will effectively boil down into three, and hopefully more, games. Paraguay, Australia and a European opponent await and, from there, who knows? For Pochettino, there has to be something else after. There has to be some type of run.
The foundation has been laid for that run. The culture has been changed and those inside and outside the program have reason to believe. All that's left now is to actually go out and do it, and that, ultimately, will be what Pochettino is judged on in the end.
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Emma Hayes: Keep the player pool moving
Throughout 2025, a clear pattern emerged with the USWNT. Players who showed they could contribute were rewarded with opportunities under Emma Hayes.
In total, 43 players featured for the national team, including 16 debutants. The team had 14 different goal scorers this year, with 51 percent of goal contributions coming from players under the age of 25. Hayes also established a Futures Camp and put a bigger emphasis on the youth national team level. All of that was done with one goal in mind: expanding the player pool.
Expect more expansion in 2026. Yes, there are meaningful games this year as the U.S. gears up for the 2027 World Cup, but Hayes is still in a position to give opportunities. There are position battles aplenty and a seemingly endless wave of young, hungry stars eager to join up with a team still riding high from their 2024 Olympic Gold Medal. Hayes needs to keep nurturing those stars and keep fostering those positional battles right on through 2026. If and when that happens, the U.S. should be a dominant force when it all means more in 2027.
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Christian Pulisic: Embrace the attention
It's no secret that Christian Pulisic doesn't like the spotlight. He wants to be a soccer player, not a celebrity. Because of that, he has often shied away from the more celebrity portions of the gig, although he has, admittedly, made more of an effort to indulge the public in recent years with his self-titled documentary.
That said, there's no avoiding it over the next six months. The spotlight will be firmly fixed on Pulisic in 2026, and not just in the United States.
We know what that spotlight looks like in the United States. It will only intensify as the World Cup approaches, with the broader public searching for a clear face of the team. That role will almost certainly fall to Christian Pulisic, whether he embraces it or not. Mauricio Pochettino’s presence will help, as will the personalities around him, but for casual fans, Pulisic remains the most recognizable name – and the one they’ll want to know better.
Meanwhile, Pulisic's recent escapades in Italy have made him a star abroad, too. Even before the World Cup kicks off, Pulisic will be under the microscope at AC Milan, one of the world's biggest clubs. He's not just another piece at the Rossoneri now; he's the club's focal point. Serving that role comes with pressure, too.
All in all, 2026 will be defined by how Pulisic handles that pressure and whether he's willing and able to step out of his comfort zone a little bit to meet it.
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Alyssa Thompson and Jaedyn Shaw: Become the next attacking stars
One of the fun parts of 2025 was watching Alyssa Thompson and Jaedyn Shaw blossom into better players. It hadn't been easy for either of them. Thompson had stagnated a bit after her big 2023 World Cup breakthrough. Shaw, meanwhile, was with the U23s for parts of this year as her club situation went off the rails. By the end of the year, though, both had shown so many flashes of their limitless potential.
Now, it's time to see if they can turn that potential into something more.
Both Thompson and Shaw will enter 2026 with their club situations sorted, which will help. The former will look to become a star with Chelsea, having made the massive move across the pond. Shaw, meanwhile, will look to build on an NWSL title with Gotham FC by playing an even bigger role this year. All eyes are on how they develop with the national team, though, and whether they can meaningfully challenge the other incredible talents in the attack.
The Triple Espresso trio of Sophia Wilson, Trinity Rodman, and Mallory Swanson could return this year, at least in theory. Catarina Macario has carved out a role of her own now that she’s fully fit, while younger options like Ally Sentnor are firmly in the mix. For Thompson and Shaw – two players who already have major tournament experience – 2026 is about proving they can start ahead of those alternatives. It won’t be easy, but it’s the right kind of challenge for two players with that level of talent.
