Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

The logics of the United States make it almost impossible for the USMNT or USWNT to have a primary venue to play all of their home matches but a trend of playing in a handful of stadiums has been developing over the last couple of cycles. US Soccer says there are specific factors behind where matches are played, some make sense, while others come across as lazy or lacking creativity.

If and when Major League Soccer aligns with the FIFA calendar and observes international breaks, more MLS stadiums could become available for matches. While not all MLS venues currently feature natural grass, US Soccer has indicated they would be willing to invest in installing grass, though at a cost of around $500K and with potential concerns about surface reliability.

Global Approach to Scheduling

Many of the top-tier international teams play their World Cup qualifiers and other critical matches in a primary venue or two. Here’s a sample of some of those countries and generally where they play based on my research.

Here are some of the more notable nations that play nearly all of their home matches at a single venue, a setup made practical by their smaller size and simpler logistics, which also makes it easier for fans.

Germany and Spain are known for rotating their non-critical home matches across multiple venues.

Argentina-Estadio Monumental (River Plate)

Belgium– King Baudouin Stadium (Brussels)

Colombia-Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez

England-Wembley Stadium

France– Stade de France (Saint-Denis, near Paris)

Italy-Stadio Olimpico

Northern Ireland-Windsor Park (Belfast)

Norway-Ullevaal Stadion (Oslo)

Portugal– Estádio da Luz (Lisbon)

Republic of Ireland-Aviva Stadium (Dublin) 

Scotland-Hampden Park (Glasgow)

Uruguay-Estadio Centenario

Wales-Cardiff City Stadium

What’s in a location?

Here’s a look at the past few cycles, highlighting the USMNT’s home matches and the venues they’ve used. While US Soccer has clarified that they don’t control Gold Cup or Nations League venue selection, a point still under debate, they do manage the locations for Friendlies and World Cup qualifiers and continue to review and adjust those choices.

2026 Cycle (Matches Scheduled Through the end of 2025) – 46 Home Matches – 30 unique cities

So far, half of the USMNT’s home matches in the 2026 cycle have been held across eight venues. Only two more windows, March and May/June, remain for Friendlies before the 2026 World Cup.

• 4-AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
• 4-Energizer Park, previously CityPark, St. Louis, Missouri
• 4-Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
• 3-Inter&Co Stadium (previously Orlando City Stadium and Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
• 2-Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
• 2-Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee
• 2-Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut
• 2-TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX

2022 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 24 unique cities

I can almost give US Soccer a pass on city and venue selection during the 2022 cycle, given the global circumstances at the time. That said, it’s interesting that they scheduled three consecutive home World Cup qualifiers in Ohio, with final round two matches in Columbus. Columbus has been a recurring choice, hosting multiple qualifiers in 2014, 2018, and 2022, handling one match each during both the semifinal and final rounds of qualifying in 2014 and 2018.

Lower.com, Columbus, Ohio

2018 Cycle – 47 Home Matches – 33 unique cities

During the 2018 cycle, the USMNT played in a wider variety of cities and venues. Aside from four matches in Carson, California for the January camp, they only repeated a location eleven times.

Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA

2014 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 29 unique cities

During the 2014 cycle, the USMNT repeated cities twelve times, but only two cities hosted more than two matches: Carson, California, where two of three games were for Camp Cupcake, and Kansas City, Kansas, which hosted three matches.

Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas

2010 Cycle – 35 Home Matches – 18 unique cities

One of the leanest home schedules in recent cycles saw the USMNT play in just 18 different cities, with 11 of them hosting only a single match. Over half of their home games were concentrated in four cities: Carson, California (7 matches); Chicago, Illinois (5 matches); and Foxborough, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. (3 matches each).

Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

2006 Cycle – 44 Home Matches – 24 unique cities

The USMNT played eight matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts—double the number held in the next two cities, Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Florida, which each hosted four matches. Notably, the team has excelled in Foxborough, losing only once in 22 games played there.

Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, MA

2002 Cycle – 38 Home Matches – 16 unique cities

During the 2002 cycle, California was clearly a preferred destination for the USMNT, hosting matches in five different cities across twelve games. Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. each hosted five matches as well. 

Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA

1998 Cycle– 40 Home Matches – 21 unique cities

Washington D.C. was the city of choice for the USMNT during the 1998 cycle playing six matches. The USMNT would also play more than two matches in Los Angeles, California (5 matches), Foxborough, Massachusetts (4 matches) and Pasadena, California (3 matches) while playing only one match in twelve other cities.

RFK Stadium, Washington, DC

Long Term Venue Strategy

While US Soccer may favor a single venue for most USMNT and USWNT matches, doing so would limit access for thousands of fans across the country. However, with the move to Georgia and the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center set to open in early 2026, ahead of the World Cup, it’s likely that future matches will focus on venues within three to four hours of Atlanta. We can expect the majority of games to continue taking place in roughly ten to twelve core cities.

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

With the September FIFA window now in the rearview mirror, and only three more windows left before final rosters are set in late May or early June 2026, Mauricio Pochettino has drawn a clear line.

He’s stated that September’s camp was the “last camp to have the possibility for new faces.”

If we take him at his word, the nearly 70 players who’ve been called across six camps and the Gold Cup will form the pool from which he selects the 2026 World Cup squad.

Of the 60 players named to the 2025 Gold Cup provisional roster, only five, Maxi Dietz, Richie Ledezma, Tim Tillman, Caleb Wiley, and Griffin Yow, have yet to appear on a #USMNT roster under Pochettino.

Comparing the 2025 Nations League provisional roster to the Gold Cup list reveals over a dozen different players, raising the question: are these minor differences simply the edges of the player pool Pochettino intends to draw from?

Goalkeepers 

Nine goalkeepers have been called into Pochettino’s camps, but it’s clear that Matt Freese is his first-choice right now, with Matt Turner likely the No. 2 as we sit just 10 months from the World Cup.

• Chris Brady
• Drake Callender
• Roman Celentano
• Matt Freese
• Ethan Horvath
• Jonathan Klinsmann
• Diego Kochen
• Patrick Schulte
• Zack Steffen
• Matt Turner
  

Fullbacks

Outside of Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, the USMNT’s fullback depth remains a concern. Pochettino appears high on MLS defenders Alex Freeman and Max Arfsten, while Caleb Wiley, though yet to feature in a USMNT camp but named to recent provisional rosters, could still be on his depth chart.

• Max Arfsten
• Sergino Dest
• Alex Freeman
• Marlon Fossey
• DeJuan Jones
• Kristoffer Lund
• Shaquell Moore
• Antonee Robinson
• Joe Scally
• John Tolkin
  

Centerbacks

Center back remains another position with uncertain depth. Chris Richards and the veteran Tim Ream look like locks for now, leaving three spots up for grabs. If Pochettino opts for a back three, that tactical shift could influence which players ultimately make the cut. Notably, Jackson Ragen and Maxi Dietz are the only center backs from the recent provisional rosters who haven’t been called into a USMNT camp.

• Noahkai Banks
• Tristan Blackmon
• George Campbell
• Cameron Carter-Vickers
• Mark McKenzie
• Tim Ream
• Chris Richards
• Miles Robinson
• Auston Trusty
• Walker Zimmerman
  

Central Midfielders

The central midfield position is the deepest for the #USMNT, with many players in the pool capable of also playing fullback, center back, or winger. Although Richie Ledezma has primarily played as a right back and right wing-back for his current club and for PSV last season, USMNT coaches view him primarily as a midfielder. This likely explains why he hasn’t yet been called into a USMNT camp.

• Tyler Adams
• Sebastian Berhalter
• Gianluca Busio
• Johnny Cardoso
• Ben Cremaschi
• Luca de la Torre
• Emeka Eneli
• Jack McGlynn
• Weston McKennie
• Aidan Morris
• Yunus Musah
• Tanner Tessmann
• Sean Zawadzki
  

Attacking Midfielders

There are several players at this position who could add real quality and play pivotal roles for the #USMNT at next summer’s World Cup. Gio Reyna remains a major question mark, but his talent is undeniable. With his recent club change, there’s hope he can return to the high level of form we’ve seen from him in the past.

• Brenden Aaronson
• Paxten Aaronson
• Brian Gutiérrez
• Djordje Mihailovic
• Matko Miljevic
• Gio Reyna
• Malik Tillman
  

Wingers

The winger position remains thin for the #USMNT, though several players there can also slot in as attacking midfielders, strikers, or even fullback. Notably, two young wingers, Cole Campbell and Griffin Yow, appeared on provisional rosters but have yet to be called into any Pochettino camp.

• Cade Cowell
• Diego Luna
• Christian Pulisic
• Quinn Sullivan
• Indiana Vassilev
• Tim Weah
• Haji Wright
• Alejandro Zendejas
  

Strikers

Another area of concern for the USMNT is striker depth. While the top options have all produced well for their clubs when healthy, injuries have kept the pool thin. If everyone is fit, the primary competition for the starting role likely comes down to three players: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent. Haji Wright and Tim Weah can also step in as center-forward options if needed.

• Patrick Agyemang
• Folarin Balogun
• Damion Downs
• Jesus Ferreira
• Ricardo Pepi
• Josh Sargent
• Brandon Vazquez
• Brian White
  

Conclusion

It’s tough to read Pochettino’s mindset right now. Many expect fewer MLS players to be called for the October window, partly because the league continues through FIFA dates and the regular season ends mid-October.

Most World Cup rosters largely select themselves, with only a few surprising omissions, think of the 1994 squad, which left out several players many felt deserved a spot.

But with Pochettino still showing a shaky grasp of the USMNT player pool, this cycle could produce more notable snubs than ever, though there’s still time for him to get it right.

• Caring for Villa Hills, Fort Thomas, Union, Florence, Crestview Hills and Northern Kentucky

Over the past few years, I’ve written here at Chasing A Cup about family, faith, leadership, and walking through life with intention. Some of you have been reading since the early days. Some of you prayed for my family. Some of you even rolled up your sleeves and gave blood — blood that was meant for my mom and others like her in their time of need.

I’ll never forget that.

Three years ago, my mom passed away. It was a season of heartbreak, but also one of clarity. As I stood beside my family — and as I supported others in our community grieving their own parents — I came to understand how deeply care matters. Not just in hospitals or emergencies, but in the everyday: the quiet, complicated, deeply human moments that make up the final chapters of someone’s life.

That realization stayed with me. And over time, it changed the direction of my work.

For most of my career, I worked in product management — building teams, delivering systems, and leading with structure and strategy. I still believe in all of that. But I also wanted to build something more personal. Something rooted not just in outcomes, but in presence and compassion.

That’s why Sarah and I decided to open a Caring Excellence office in Northern Kentucky.

Caring Excellence has been serving families across Kentucky for over 13 years. It’s a family-owned, fully licensed home care agency that specializes in non-medical, in-home support for seniors and adults — help with daily living, memory care, companionship, and more. And now, we’re proud to bring that same level of compassionate, character-driven care to Florence and the surrounding region.

Our new Northern Kentucky office serves families in places like Villa Hills, Union, Fort Thomas, Crestview Hills, and Florence — communities filled with multi-generational households, strong family ties, and seniors who deserve to age with dignity.

At Caring Excellence, we focus on people first. We don’t just fill schedules — we carefully match caregivers to clients based on personality, needs, and values. Sarah leads our caregiver hiring, drawing from her years of experience as both a caregiver and healthcare professional. She looks not just for skill, but for heart — people of integrity, empathy, and real compassion.

As for me, I now use my business background to support the team behind the scenes — building systems, developing processes, and making sure our caregivers have the tools and training they need to serve others well.

This new venture is deeply personal. It’s also missional. It’s about stepping into people’s lives when they need support most and offering something simple, but powerful: peace of mind.

We’re not moving to Florence, but we’re fully committed to this region. We’re investing in it — by hiring local caregivers, building relationships with local providers, and offering families home care in Northern Kentucky a trusted option for high-quality home care.

To those of you who’ve been on this journey with me — through writing, through prayer, through donating blood when we needed it most — thank you. I hope this new chapter reflects what we’ve always believed in here: that service matters, character counts, and small acts of care can ripple further than we think.

If you know someone in Northern Kentucky who needs support — in Union, Villa Hills, Crestview Hills, Fort Thomas, or Florence — we’d be honored to walk alongside them.

Thanks for reading, and for being part of the story.

—Marcus

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Learn More
To learn more about Caring Excellence and our in-home care services for Northern Kentucky families, visit:
https://caringexcellenceathome.com/northern-kentucky-office

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