HBO Premieres Four-Year U.S. Soccer Journey to 2026 World Cup
An HBO Max docuseries, “U.S. Against the World: Four Years With the Men’s National Team,” premiered on Tuesday. The five‑part program chronicles the United States men’s national soccer team’s four‑year period after their elimination in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The footage shows the team’s preparation for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States.
The series follows the team’s so‑called “golden generation,” a group of young players praised for their talent. It also documents the team’s failure to advance beyond the group stage in the 2024 Copa América, after which head coach Gregg Berhalter was replaced by Argentine Mauricio Pochettino. Pochettino’s approach is described as more intense, with a focus on continuous assessment of player performance.
Key moments in the series include Christian Pulisic’s decision to miss the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup to rest, which drew criticism from the press. Pulisic disclosed that the backlash angered him to the point that he threw his phone, damaging the wall in his home. The documentary also highlights personal sacrifices of several players, such as a goalkeeper coping with his wife’s miscarriage and a 38‑year‑old defender whose children felt the absence of their father during training camps.
The series aims to present an inside view of the players’ lives off the field and their dedication to representing the nation ahead of the 2026 World Cup. It is available for streaming on HBO Max beginning Tuesday.