Former USMNT star warns of 'massive failure' scenario for US as host of World Cup

Fox Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas previews the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s hopes ahead of the 2026 World Cup on ‘Fox News Live.’

In less than one year, the United States men's national soccer team will be competing in the World Cup as one of three host nations.

Eleven of the 16 host stadiums are located in the U.S., which will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and final.

The USMNT has not had much success in the World Cup. The squad reached the Round of 16 in 2010 and 2014 but failed to even qualify for the tournament in 2018. It returned to the Round of 16 three years ago but couldn't get out of the Copa América group stage on home soil last year.

After the 1994 World Cup in North America, soccer's popularity in the USA skyrocketed, and Major League Soccer was born because of it. Now, 32 years later, former USMNT player Taylor Twellman believes the future of the sport's popularity in the U.S. rides on what the U.S. team does in next year's tournament.

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USA forward Taylor Twellman (20) drives the ball past El Salvador defender Julio Martinez (13  in the second half during Group B competition in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup at Gillette Stadium. (David Butler II/USA Today Sports )

Twellman is gearing up for the celebrity golf American Century Championship next month, which he said is a "dream come true." He said that more and more of his professional athlete friends are "asking way more questions about soccer than there ever was when I was playing," especially at the famed charity event.

"That itself tells you that, now, there is all of a sudden way more attention, way more awareness, a little more education of what success is and what isn’t and a level of