"That will take all of these players to the stratosphere." That's Cobi Jones, not exaggerating — setting a benchmark. A semifinal run at a home World Cup is the line he draws between a decent tournament and a generation-defining one.
Jones was speaking in Vancouver after playing in the FIFA Delegations Football Tournament ahead of the 76th FIFA Congress — a friendly event featuring legends, officials and FIFA President Gianni Infantino alongside Brazilian great Cafu. Jones represented Concacaf in an all-black adidas kit. Sweat on his face, still competing at 53. The tournament itself was a soft launch for 2026 buzz, with Canada winning a team featuring MLS legend Dwayne De Rosario.
The semifinal bar — and what it would take to clear it
Jones, who earned 164 caps and played a central role in the 1994 World Cup on home soil, stopped short of a formal prediction. But his framing was clear: anything less than the semis doesn't move the needle in the way this moment demands.
"No one can give expectations," he said. "What I would constitute a very good run for the USMNT would be if they can make it to the semis — that would be an accomplishment that will have an impact not just on soccer, but sports in general."
That's the same ceiling Mauricio Pochettino has referenced publicly. To get there, the USMNT first has to come through Group D — Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye — then navigate three knockout rounds. A potential semifinal in Dallas or Atlanta is the prize. That's a long road, and the group isn't a gimme. Australia and Türkiye both carry genuine threat; punting on easy passage through the group stage is a risk.
The 1994 comparison carrying the most weight
Jones keeps coming back to the crowd moment from their round of 16 loss to Brazil in 1994 — a game they lost 1-0 at Stanford Stadium, but walked into expecting hostile territory and instead found four American fans for every Brazilian one.
"That showed me that we had made it," he said. "We had captured the country."
That's the real anxiety underpinning 2026. Ticket prices are steep. The USMNT has struggled to generate home-friendly atmospheres in recent years even for friendlies. The fear of playing in front of opposition-heavy crowds at a home World Cup is legitimate, not manufactured.
The upside? The USMNT is the only co-host realistically able to stay on home soil for the entire tournament. If Pulisic, McKennie and the rest perform, the crowds will follow. Jones believes that. But he's also seen what happens when the country does show up — and he knows the difference it makes.
His advice to the current squad strips it back: "I want these guys to enjoy it first and foremost. From now in this moment to 40 years from now, you want to remember that you had a fun time at the World Cup."
Easy to say. Harder to do when the expectation at a home tournament is nothing short of the final four.
