Дэлхийн аварга шалгаруулах тэмцээний шөвгийн 16-д Бельгид 4:1-ээр хожигдож тэмцээнээ өндөрлүүлсэн ч АНУ-ын шигшээ багийн удирдлага ахлах дасгалжуулагчтайгаа цаашид хамтран ажиллах хүсэлтэй байгаагаа илэрхийллээ.
АНУ-ын хөлбөмбөгийн холбооны гүйцэтгэх захирал Жэй Ти Бэтсоны мэдээлснээр, Маурисио Почеттино болон түүний дасгалжуулагчдын бүрэлдэхүүн багийн ирээдүйн төлөвлөгөө, тэр дундаа өсвөр үеэс эхлээд олимпын шигшээ баг хүртэлх бүтцийн шинэчлэлд идэвхтэй оролцож байна. Тухайлбал, Олимпын шигшээ багийн дасгалжуулагчаар Стив Черундологийг томилох үйл явцад тэд голлох үүрэг гүйцэтгэжээ. Одоогоор холбооны зүгээс өөр дасгалжуулагчтай яриа хэлэлцээ хийж байгаа эсэх болон шийдвэр гаргах хугацааны талаар тодорхой мэдээлэл өгөөгүй байна.
Бельгийн эсрэг тоглолтын өмнө Фларин Балогуны улаан хуудасны асуудал олны анхааралд байв. Босни ба Херцеговины эсрэг тоглолтод улаан хуудас авсан Балогуныг Ерөнхийлөгч Дональд Трамп ФИФА-гийн ерөнхийлөгч Жанни Инфантинотой ярилцсаны дараа Бельгийн эсрэг талбайд гаргах шийдвэр гарсан юм. Жэй Ти Бэтсон энэ асуудлаар байр сууриа илэрхийлэхдээ, улс төрийн оролцоо нь хөлбөмбөгийн хөгжилд ирээдүйд эерэг үр дүн авчирна хэмээн найдаж байгаагаа илэрхийлэв.
ФИФА-гийн Дэлхийн хөлбөмбөгийн хөгжил хариуцсан захирал Арсен Венгер АНУ-ын хөлбөмбөгийн соёл хараахан төлөвшиж амжаагүй ч ялах хүсэл эрмэлзэл, өөрийгөө хөгжүүлэх хандлага нь сайн эхлэл болж байна гэв. Холбооны зүгээс хөлбөмбөгийг илүү хүртээмжтэй болгохын тулд тогтолцооны өөрчлөлт хийх шаардлагатай байгааг онцоллоо. 2026 оны Дэлхийн аварга шалгаруулах тэмцээн нь АНУ-д спортын хөгжлийн чиг хандлагыг үндсээр нь өөрчилсөн чухал үйл явдал болсныг удирдлагууд тэмдэглэв.
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. – U.S. Soccer remains in discussions about extending head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff, despite the men’s national team’s disappointing exit from the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, U.S. Soccer CEO & Secretary General JT Batson was optimistic about the possibility of the Argentine manager continuing with the team for the near future. Pochettino and the U.S. were eliminated in the round of 16 after a lopsided 4-1 loss to Belgium in Seattle.
“From a men’s national team coaching standpoint, we’re in active discussions with Mauricio and staff about the future,” Batson said. “We all share a belief that the best days of U.S. soccer are ahead of us, and they’re excited about the opportunity to impact soccer at all levels in every community.”
According to Batson, Pochettino and his staff have been involved in the federation’s “long-term planning” and how improvements can be made from the youth level to the senior side. One suchinstance involved the recent hiring of Steve Cherundolo as the coach of the men’s Olympic team.
“We’re excited about the discussions,” Batson said. “And, you know, (Pochettino’s staff) has been active about long-term planning. As a recent example, (they) were active in our discussions with Steve around the U-23 role and were a key part of that process. And so we’re feeling good about where we are overall.”
Batson did not comment on whether U.S. Soccer has had conversations with other head coaching candidates nor did he specify when a decision would be made regarding Pochettino.
Leading up to the match against Belgium, and still weeks after the loss, much of the discussion centered around Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension. Balogun was sent off in the round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but FIFA, following intervention from President Trump and the U.S. government, allowed Balogun to play against Belgium. The 25-year-old striker was red carded after he stepped on Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic’s ankle.
After his sending off, Balogun received an automatic one-game suspension under Article 10.5 of FIFA’s rules for the tournament. At the time, multiple sources confirmed to The Athletic that U.S. Soccer could not appeal the decision. U.S. President Donald Trump, according to a New York Times report, called FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of the Belgium game to ask for a review into Balogun’s suspension. Trump then publicly acknowledged that the call had taken place and thanked Infantino for reversing “a great injustice.”
On Thursday, Batson was asked if it had been a mistake to allow the Trump Administration to get involved and whether it had been a step too far.
“You know, the president is able to do what the president wants to do,” Batson replied. “The president is the president of the United States. Obviously we’re incredibly grateful for all the support for all of our fans all across the country wherever they are… And we know that that will pay dividends going forward.”
JT Batson spoke effusively about the future of American soccer. (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
During a media roundtable at the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center, Batson was joined by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who now serves as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, and U.S. Soccer chief operating officer Dan Helfrich. Youth soccer development, pay-to-play and other big-picture topics were discussed. Wenger said that what 2026 World Cup finalists Spain and Argentina have that the U.S. does not is a football culture that is engrained in their respective countries across many generations. But the U.S., he said, has an ambition to change the course of the sport following the World Cup in which America co-hosted along with Mexico and Canada.
“(The U.S.) has other assets on the culture in the States in that people here are ready to take individual responsibility to develop themselves,” Wenger said. “People feel a pressure to win here. They want to win. So there’s good ingredients there.”
Wenger stressed that results will not come quickly, citing France’s first major tournament win coming in 1984 after the country’s federation established its first academy in 1973. Batson agreed. “This will take time and this will be hard,” he said. Batson added that opinions and discussions around pay-to-play have long existed, but that this summer was “the first time it felt like it cut through.”
Helfrich stressed that an easy fix is not part of U.S. Soccer’s strategy. “We’re not trying to make the current system more affordable,” he said. “We need a different system.” Still, making soccer more affordable and accessible remains the principal objective. To do so off the back of a tournament that saw record viewership and increased interest around the country will not be taken for granted.
“The 2026 World Cup has been incredibly successful and has fundamentally changed the trajectory of the sport in the United States,” Batson said.
