U.S. To Face England And Iran In Return To Soccer World Cup

Topline

The U.S. men’s national soccer team will play England, Iran and a yet-to-be-decided European opponent in the first round of the World Cup in Qatar, as the team looks to redeem itself at the world’s biggest sporting event after shockingly failing to make the 2018 tournament.

United States’ Christian Pulisic looks on during the first half of a FIFA World Cup qualifying … [+] soccer match between Panama and the United States on Sunday in Orlando, Florida. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Key Facts

The Americans’ first game will be on November 21, the opening day of the tournament, against the winner of an upcoming European playoff—either Wales, Scotland or Ukraine.

The opponent will not be determined until June, after European soccer’s governing body pushed back the playoff for the slot due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The U.S. will face England on November 25 before concluding the group stage with a match against Iran on November 29.

What To Watch For

The top two finishers in the group will advance to the knockout stages, starting with the round of 16. As of Friday, England is the highest-ranked team in the group, No. 5 in the world, followed by the U.S., which is ranked No. 15.

Surprising Fact

The U.S. team has faced both England and Iran in historic World Cup matches in the past. The Americans’ 1-0 victory over England at the 1950 World Cup is widely regarded as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, while a 2-1 defeat to Iran at the 1998 World Cup is considered one of the U.S. men’s team’s most embarrassing losses at a major tournament. The U.S. most recently faced England in a competitive match during the 2010 World Cup, where the U.S. drew 1-1.

Key Background

The U.S. qualified for the World Cup on Wednesday night after securing a top three finish in its region, which guaranteed a spot in the tournament. American hopes are high as the team is built around a series of young stars from top European clubs, like 23-year-old Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, 21-year-old Barcelona defender Sergino Dest and 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Giovanni Reyna, representing a much different approach from the veteran squads the U.S. largely relied on at past World Cups.

Tangent

The World Cup will open with a matchup between Ecuador and host nation Qatar on November 21, prior to the U.S. game. The 2022 World Cup has been mired in controversy ever since FIFA awarded hosting rights to the small, oil-rich nation along the Arabinan Peninsula during a 2010 event. The Justice Department in 2020 said FIFA officials took bribes in exchange for naming Qatar the winning bid, while the nation has also faced numerous allegations of human rights violations for its treatment of migrant workers who constructed stadiums.