By certain metrics, things haven’t changed much in Concacaf recently. The United States and Mexico men’s national teams have won every trophy on the continent since 2002, while El Tri are two places ahead of the USMNT in the FIFA rankings, their next closest regional foe 17 places away. However, despite these metrics of success, things have not been easy for either the United States or Mexico in 2024.
Concacaf’s historic heavyweights have had some hiccups in recent months, both in regional play and, most notably, in this year’s biggest event: the Copa América, when each team was eliminated from the group stage . Their performances challenge some preconceived notions about the USMNT and Mexico individually and the region as a whole, especially as Canada seeks top accolades in North America.
This makes this month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals a fascinating record for each of the 2026 World Cup co-hosts, who aim to make a statement two years from now. There’s another layer of intrigue in the fact that each of the co-host national teams made managerial changes in 2024, with the Nations League marking the first competitive matches since the USMNT and Mexico hired Mauricio Pochettino and Javier Aguirre, respectively. The upcoming games will offer a first look at the progress those two teams hope to make in time for 2026, while Canada will have a chance to show that their form under new head coach Jesse Marsch is no flash in the pan.
Here’s what’s at stake for each of the World Cup co-hosts with the countdown to 2026 officially underway.
USMNT tests new ideas
Each of the 2026 World Cup co-hosts enters Nations League games after playing each other in friendlies over the past few months, and the USMNT arguably came out worse than the others. They combined a shock group stage elimination from the Copa América with a 2-1 loss to Canada in September and a 2-0 loss to Mexico in October, recording just two wins in their last nine games in the process. The series of lackluster performances recalibrated the USMNT’s expectations in the process: few denied its potential but many questioned its ability to fulfill it. This led US Soccer to hire Pochettino in September, who they hope will infuse new ideas and quickly turn around the team with the World Cup less than two years away.
Although Pochettino promised entertaining, attacking football and embracing the nation’s winning mentality, lasting change won’t happen overnight for the USMNT. The new coach has leaned on familiar faces and insisted that he is slowly integrating his attacking ideas in his first months in charge, which is not surprising given the newness of his responsibilities. However, this month’s Nations League match against Jamaica could force it – a spate of injuries and Timothy Weah’s suspension for the first leg mean fresh faces and fresh ideas could be on display as early as Thursday. in Kingston.
One of those new approaches could be in defence, where Pochettino intentionally brought in only two natural full-backs with the idea that others could fit in based on their experience at club level and tactical tendencies in the sport.
“I think today in football in recent years, you see teams like Manchester City, Arsenal and company, I think we can see that a centre-back can play like a full-back,” he said at a press conference on Sunday. “Tim Ream, [in Charlotte FC’s MLS Cup Playoffs game against Orlando City]He played as a winger. For me, he is a center back but he played left back. He can play. It depends on the dynamics of the game… I think we all agree that Yunus Musah can play as a full-back, maybe as a right-back. Against Real Madrid [in last week’s UEFA Champions League match]played in a fantastic way and they won the game with [AC] Milan. “I think he’s another player who can perform there, he can play.”
Mexico bets on the tried and true
The year got off to a rocky start for Mexico, who looked unconvincing when they lost to the United States in the Concacaf Nations final in March, followed by their own surprise elimination in the group stage of the Copa América. Mexico’s ability for years to be a contender in Concacaf seemed to be fading, with some arguing that El Tri’s group of players was not as strong as that of the USMNT. Although that won’t be a short-term solution, Mexico opted to make a big change in the meantime, swapping head coach Jaime Lozano for Aguirre, who is now in his third stint as Mexico’s coach.
Mexico is now unbeaten in four games under Aguirre, including a 0-0 draw with Canada in September and a 2-0 win over the USMNT last month. It can be said that the difference between the October game against the United States and the one in March was night and day: El Tri brought an intensity that was missing last winter, easily looking like the better team in a game that was even in several aspects. While the teams were essentially neck and neck in possession, touches and passing, Mexico outshot the United States 17 to five and scored two goals in the process.
El Tri had a similar game plan against Canada, although on that occasion they fired seven fewer shots and couldn’t find the back of the net. While still imperfect, the games mark a solid first performance for Aguirre’s Mexico, although they will have to prove they can maintain that progress with this month’s quarterfinal match against Honduras.
Canada’s upward trajectory
Although the USMNT and El Tri have had disappointing performances, the biggest game-changing development in North America this year could be Canada’s upward turn. The team has been knocking on the door for some time, finishing at the top of the continental qualification for the World Cup in 2022, but a fourth place in the Copa América shows that there is a lot of potential for this team.
While the USMNT and Mexico began their transition periods in the fall, Canada beat them to the punch by hiring Marsch in the spring. The weeks of access to the Copa América proved not to be a problem as he found ways to survive different tactical challenges since taking charge. They were brave at times during their Copa America run and other times more attack-minded, including in their opening loss to Argentina in which they took 10 shots and some significant looks at goal.
Marsch’s Canada is perfectly comfortable without the ball, but finds a way to create advantages in some closer games. Before Mexico did the same in October, Canada beat the USMNT in September by giving up possession but outshooting their opponents 17 to eight. The United States, then led by interim head coach Mikey Varas, was particularly sloppy that day, but Canada was happy to take advantage of the opportunity to claim its first victory in the United States since 1957.
The pressure is still on Canada to see if they can maintain this form, although they earned first place for the quarter-finals of the Nations League and, as a result, have a favorable draw against Suriname this month.
