Some Americans may not want the U.S. men’s national team to succeed at the 2026 World Cup as a result of the political situation in the country, Alexi Lalas has told The Athletic.
The 54-year-old former international midfielder is an outspoken Fox Sports pundit and a prominent supporter of President Trump.
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The U.S. will host next summer’s tournament alongside Canada and Mexico. President Trump has spoken about making Canada the U.S.’s “51st state” and is orchestrating an immigration crackdown at the border with Mexico.
Canada’s head coach, American Jesse Marsch, has spoken out against President Trump’s comments, while Victor Montagliani, the Canadian president of the region’s soccer governing body Concacaf, said his nation’s “sovereignty is never on the table and is never a question”.
“When they (the USMNT) step on the field in 2026, they’re going to come with baggage,” Lalas said, speaking in a new special episode of The Athletic FC podcast called A World Cup Divided: Trump and 2026.
“I do think there is going to be a unity that comes from this World Cup from a U.S. perspective, but there are going to be plenty of people around the world who, because of what the U.S. represents, are not going to want them to win. And guess what? There are going to be people, even in our own country, that are Americans and because of political differences they have they might not want them to win — not because they even enjoy soccer, but because they represent this United States.”
Capped 96 times from 1991 to 1998, Lalas encountered the same. “I understood that every single time I went out there, I was the manifestation of all of the insecurity, the inferiority complex and jealousy that others have relative to my country,” he said.
Aligning as co-hosts with Canada and Mexico was made sense for the U.S. when the bid was formally announced in 2017, says Lalas. But with the U.S. hosting 78 matches and 13 each taking place in the other two nations (up to the round of 16), does that approach still make sense in the current climate?
“Let’s be honest, at the time the bid was made, it was prudent for the United States to align with Canada and Mexico,” he said. “And maybe you could argue that it is the reason why people ultimately voted for it, some maybe holding their nose.
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“I readily admit that as the United States — in terms of the history, the power — we come with baggage. That’s fine. Eighty percent of the games are going to be played in the United States. If we had it to do again now, I think there’s an argument to be made that the United States would have gone it alone. That’s nothing to take away from what’s going to happen. But the reality is this is going to be a heavily U.S.-centric type of World Cup, just in terms of the numbers.”
Lalas is open about his support for President Trump — he has attended pro-Trump rallies and often amplifies his and other supporters’ posts on social media.
“I am a proud registered Republican,” he said, speaking in Los Angeles. “I certainly lean to the right. I voted for Donald Trump multiple times, proudly, and I am happy in terms of the direction of the country (and) the things he is doing. It is not without obvious pushback and angst and I can understand and respect that.”
Hear the full interview with Lalas as part of A World Cup Divided: Trump and 2026 on The Athletic FC podcast. It includes a wide range of political views from all three host nations (and Panama), including contributions from organisers, players and fans, plus interviews with Canada head coach Jesse Marsch, former MLS star and ex-Montreal Impact head coach Thierry Henry, the Concacaf President Victor Montagliani and many more. Across the border in Mexico, views are also gauged regarding the change of administration in the U.S.
(Top photo: Katelyn Mulcahy – FIFA via Getty Images)
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