The international men`s football break has officially begun, bringing a sharp focus to the 2026 World Cup as qualification rounds progress across several continents. Other national teams are utilizing this period for crucial friendly matches. This report offers a comprehensive update as international fixtures quickly intensify.
Upcoming Matches (All times U.S./Eastern)
-
Wednesday, September 3
- CWCC: Washington Spirit vs. Vancouver Rise, 7 p.m.
- USL Championship: Hartford Athletic vs. Indy Eleven, 7:30 p.m.
-
Thursday, September 4
- WCQ: Bulgaria vs. Spain, 2:45 p.m.
- WCQ: Brazil vs. Chile, 8:30 p.m.
- WCQ: Guatemala vs. El Salvador, 10:30 p.m.
The Forward Line
USMNT`s Striker Contest Continues to Dominate Discussions
U.S. Men`s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino may have framed this international break as the last chance to evaluate less experienced players before the World Cup. However, the latest squad selection notably features several familiar faces, reigniting a long-standing debate: who will ultimately serve as the USMNT`s starting forward at the World Cup?
The competition for this pivotal role is largely concentrated among four players: Patrick Agyemang, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent. While Agyemang is recovering from hernia surgery and Pepi is gradually returning from a knee injury, Balogun and Sargent are poised to make their case this month. Balogun, now available for his national team debut after an injury-plagued year, is still widely considered a leading contender. Nevertheless, Sargent presents a formidable challenge.
Sargent has enjoyed a prolific start to the season with Norwich City, netting five goals in four matches. He chose to remain with the Championship club despite attracting interest from various teams, including Bundesliga club Wolfsburg, during the summer transfer window. His current objective is to translate this impressive club form to the national team. Despite a productive 15-goal season with Norwich last campaign, Sargent`s USMNT opportunities have been inconsistent; he was notably excluded from this summer`s Concacaf Gold Cup roster, a decision Pochettino then cited as a `football decision`. Consequently, this month`s friendly matches are among Sargent`s dwindling opportunities to break an international goalscoring drought that dates back to November 2019.
Sargent commented on his situation: “I`d probably be lying if I said I didn`t think about it. Of course, it`s been a while. I`m doing so well at the club level at the moment. I just keep reminding myself how well I`m doing there. I know I can score goals and I know it`s a matter of time that I`m going to score for the national team so I`m just going to put my head down and keep working hard. I know the goals will come. … I kind of just took [the Gold Cup omission] as rest up during the offseason and hit the ground running with Norwich to make sure that I`m back into the next camp and I think I`ve done a very good job of that at the club level and that`s why I`m here.”
Midfield Link Play
World Cup Qualification Tournaments Gain Momentum
A number of teams stand on the verge of securing their berths at the 2026 World Cup this month as qualification tournaments progress. National teams worldwide are keenly targeting the remaining 35 coveted spots in next summer`s prestigious competition.
South America`s qualification tournament is heading towards its conclusion this month, with three teams still in contention for one guaranteed World Cup spot and an additional place in the intercontinental playoff. Colombia is currently the favorite for the direct qualification spot and could finalize their position as early as Thursday when they host fellow contender Bolivia in Barranquilla. Los Cafeteros hold a five-point lead over Bolivia (and a four-point advantage over Venezuela); a victory would secure their direct World Cup berth. This scenario would leave Venezuela and Bolivia to battle for a playoff spot in CONMEBOL`s final qualification round, each facing challenging fixtures – Venezuela will host Colombia, while Bolivia will welcome Brazil in their respective qualification finales.
Meanwhile, in Africa, despite four games remaining in the first qualification round, two continental powerhouses could secure their spots this month if results fall in their favor. Morocco, the impressive 2022 World Cup semifinalists, are poised to become the first African team to qualify for the 2026 tournament with a win over Niger on Friday, provided Tanzania simultaneously loses to Congo. Egypt could join them by Tuesday if they secure victories in their two scheduled matches this month against Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.
While no direct qualification spots are yet decided in Europe or North America, both continents are initiating significant qualification stages this month. Several European heavyweights, including the last three World Cup-winning nations from the continent — France, Germany, and Spain — will commence their qualification campaigns in the coming days, alongside Portugal, as they vie for the 16 available spots. In North America, the third qualification round begins this month and will conclude in November, with three teams securing direct World Cup qualification and two additional playoff spots to be determined later. Beyond the three host nations, Costa Rica aims for consecutive World Cup appearances, while Concacaf Nations League finalists Panama and regional powerhouse Jamaica are among the favorites to complete their qualification journeys by November.
Key Football Stories
- USMNT Player Transfer Updates: An overview of the transfer activities involving USMNT players this past summer and their ongoing trajectories as the World Cup countdown continues.
- Chicago Stars Announce New Home: The NWSL`s Chicago Stars will play their home games at Northwestern Medicine Field next season, relocating from SeatGeek Stadium.
- Post-Transfer Window Analysis: Following the closure of the transfer window in Europe`s top five leagues, an analysis highlights the winners, losers, and notable superlatives from the summer, with attention now shifting to leagues like Turkiye.
- NWSL Team of the Week Selections: Ludmila of Chicago Stars and Esther Gonzalez of Gotham FC earned spots on the NWSL Team of the Week for their impressive performances over the past weekend.
- Premier League Managerial Pressure: Despite the Premier League season being only three games old, early struggles at West Ham and Nottingham Forest raise questions about the job security of their respective managers, Graham Potter and Nuno Espirito Santo.
