TIMELINE

Early 1800s: As was the case in England, many American schools and colleges played forms of football, but under rules that varied from place to place.

1862: The Oneida Football Club, made up of Boston prep school students, was organized by Gerritt Smith Miller. The game the Oneidas played was more like rugby than like soccer, but they were the first American team playing any type of football to be organized on a continuing basis, rather than just for the day.

1866: The first game in America using the association football rules standardized three years before in London was played on Oct. 11 in Waukesha, Wis. A men’s team of Carroll College students beat a team of local residents.

1869: A week after they played what has been called the first American football game, teams from Princeton and Rutgers met on Nov. 13 in Princeton, N.J., in a game using association football rules, the first intercollegiate soccer game in America.

1876: Most of the football-playing colleges abandoned soccer in favor of rugby. However, within a few years soccer had begun to take hold in immigrant communities in various American locations such as Fall River, Mass.; Kearny, N.J., and St. Louis.

1883: The first soccer league in America, the Western Football Association, was organized in St. Louis.

1884: The American Football Association, only the second national soccer association outside of the British Isles, but one that was really more regional than national, was organized in Newark, N.J.

1885: The first American Football Association Cup was won by ONT of Kearny, N.J., and a team representing the United States played one from Canada in Kearny on Nov. 28 in the first “international” game in America.

1894: The first attempt to start a pro soccer league in the United States, the American League of Professional Football Clubs, lasted for only three weeks in October. However, a longer-lasting league, the National Association Foot Ball League, began the following spring.

1898: A depression resulting from the financial panic of 1893 caused the suspension of both the American Football Association and the nation’s leading league, the National Association Foot Ball League of New Jersey.

1904: A Canadian team won the soccer competition at the Olympic Games in St. Louis.

1905: A 17-game North American tour by the Pilgrims, an English amateur team, helped to revive soccer in the United States. St. Leo’s won the first of its 10 consecutive St. Louis Major League titles.

1906: West Hudson of Harrison, N.J., won the first championship of the revived AFA Cup. A year later, it added the first championship of the revived National Association Foot Ball League.

1913: The United States Football Association was founded at an April 5 meeting in New York. FIFA, which had been founded in 1904, granted it provisional membership later in the year and full membership in 1914.

1914: The first National Challenge Cup tournament, the championship of the new USFA, was won by the Brooklyn Field Club (the tournament’s name was later changed to the U.S. Open Cup).

1916: The first national team organized by the USFA, named the All-American Football Club, played six games in a tour of Sweden and Norway. The captain, Thomas Swords of Fall River, scored the first goal ever for the U.S. national team, against Sweden.

1919: Bethlehem Steel, after sweeping the National Challenge Cup, the AFA Cup and the National Association Foot Ball League, became the first American club to make a European tour when it played 14 games in Sweden and Denmark.

1920: The National Challenge Cup was won for the first time by a team from west of the Alleghenies, Ben Millers of St. Louis.

1921: The original American Soccer League, a men’s professional league, largely a merger of the National Association Foot Ball League in the Middle Atlantic states and the Southern New England Soccer League, began play. In its first season, it included three teams from Massachusetts, two from New York, two from New Jersey and one from Pennsylvania.

1924: The Fall River Marksmen became the first team to win the American Soccer League and National Challenge Cup titles in the same year.

1925: Archie Stark of Bethlehem Steel scored 67 goals in the 44-game ASL season, setting an American first-division record that still stands.

1926: A game between Austrian first-division team Hakoah and a New York all-star team drew a crowd of 46,000 to the Polo Grounds in New York. Bethlehem Steel won the last of its five National Challenge Cup titles.

1928: The Soccer War, a year-long battle between the ASL and the USFA, began with ASL demands to take over the leading role in administering the sport.

1930: The United States was one of 13 nations to compete in the first men’s World Cup in Uruguay, upsetting Belgium and Paraguay before being eliminated by Argentina in the semifinals. Bert Patenaude of Fall River scored the first World Cup hat trick. Later in the year, the Fall River Marksmen, again winners of the ASL and National Challenge Cup titles, made a six-game tour of Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria.

1932: Disputes over the definition of an amateur and the costs of long travel distance from Europe caused the elimination of soccer from the program at the Los Angeles Olympic Games.

1933: Two years after the demise of the original American Soccer League, a new ASL, with a scaled-back budget, began play.

1934: Buff Donelli, later a famous American football coach, scored four goals in a World Cup qualifying victory against Mexico. The U.S. Men took part in their second consecutive World Cup, going winless in Italy.

1938: The USFA, citing the gathering threat of war in Europe, declined to send a team to the World Cup in France.

1941: The Kearny Scots won their fifth consecutive American Soccer League championship. The National Soccer Coaches Association was formed by 10 coaches at a meeting in New York.

1944: Billy Gonsalves, playing for Brooklyn Hispano, won the last of his remarkable eight U.S. Open Cup championships.

1945: The U.S. Football Association changed its name to U.S. Soccer Football Association.

1947: Ponta Delgada of Fall River became the first team to win the U.S. Open Cup and the National Amateur Cup in the same year.

1948: The first game in the United States between two leading men’s European teams, Liverpool of England and Djurgardens of Sweden, was played in Brooklyn.

1950: Joe Gaetjens’ goal in the 37th minute enabled the United States to earn its famous 1-0 victory against England in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Despite the victory, the United States failed to advance past the first round of the World Cup.

1952: The U. S. Men played Scotland in front of a crowd of 107,765 at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

1953: The USSFA assumed administration of the National Soccer Hall of Fame in an agreement with the Philadelphia Old-Timers Association, which had started the Hall three years before.

1959: The first men’s NCAA soccer championship was won by St. Louis University. The United States men’s team finished third in the soccer tournament at the Pan-American Games in Chicago.

1960: The International Soccer League, featuring European and South American clubs in their off-seasons, began play in New York. In the first championship game, Bangu of Brazil beat Kilmarnock of Scotland.

1961: CONCACAF, the Confederation of North and Central America and the Caribbean of Association Football, was formed at a meeting in Mexico City.

1965: The first college women’s varsity soccer team was organized at Castleton State College in Vermont.

1966: Pelé played his first game in the United States, for his longtime Brazilian club Santos against Benfica of Portugal in New York.

1968: The Atlanta Chiefs defeated the San Diego Toros in the original North American Soccer League’s (or “NASL”) first championship series.

1974: The U.S. Soccer Football Association changed its name to U.S. Soccer Federation.

1975: Pelé, who had retired the year before from Santos, signed for $2.8 million with the New York Cosmos.

1977: Pelé won his only NASL championship as the Cosmos defeated the Seattle Sounders in the final. A month after the season, Pelé played his final game, changing uniforms at halftime in a match between the Cosmos and Santos, in East Rutherford, N.J. By signing Franz Beckenbauer of West Germany and Carlos Alberto of Brazil, the Cosmos became the first team in world soccer history to field the captains of the last two World Cup-winning teams.

1978: American soccer rode the crest of the attendance surge that followed Pelé’s American venture, with the NASL expanding from 18 teams to 24 and the Major Indoor Soccer League, another men’s league, beginning play with six teams.

1982: A European selection played a World selection in the FIFA all-star game in East Rutherford, N.J., but the NASL surge was beginning to fade. The Cosmos won the last of their five NASL championships.

The first women’s NCAA soccer tournament was held, with North Carolina winning the championship.

1984: A crowd of 101,799, still the largest ever to attend a soccer game in the United States, saw the Olympic final between Brazil and France in Pasadena, Calif. A women’s club team, the Dallas Sting, won the first international title for the United States at a FIFA-sanctioned world tournament.

1985: The United States fielded its first Women’s National Team at a tournament in Jesolo, Italy. The Italian fans greeted the U.S. Women with an “OOOSA” chant (“USA”) that the USWNT adopted and is in use in present day.

The NASL folded, a year after the second American Soccer League had done the same. Three months later, the New York Cosmos folded, after attempting to play a series of exhibition games. The United States Men were surprisingly eliminated by Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying.

1988: FIFA, which five years earlier had rejected a United States bid for the 1986 World Cup, named the United States as host of the 1994 Men’s World Cup.

1989: The United States Men’s team qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 40 years. Paul Caligiuri’s famous goal in the deciding game was a 35-yard dipping shot that found the net in a 1-0 upset victory against Trinidad & Tobago Nov. 19 in front of 35,000 red-clad Trinidadians. The U.S. Futsal National Team finished third at the first FIFA World Championship for Futsal.

1990: The U.S. Men competed in the World Cup for the first time in 40 years. Two men’s leagues, the WSL and the ASL merged to form the American Professional Soccer League (APSL).

1991: The U.S. Women captured the first-ever FIFA Women’s World Championship in China with a 2-1 win against Norway on November 30. The Women qualified for the world championship by defeating their five CONCACAF opponents by a combined score of 49-0.

The U.S. Men’s National Team won its first-ever regional championship July 7 when it captured the CONCACAF Gold Cup by defeating Honduras 4-3 in penalty kicks. The U.S. U-23 team won the gold medal at the Pan Am Games in Cuba.

1992: The U.S. Men won the inaugural U.S. Cup ’92 in June, defeating Ireland 3-1 and Portugal 1-0, and tying three-time World Cup champion Italy 1-1. The U.S. Futsal Team won the silver medal at the 2nd FIFA World Championship in Hong Kong. The MISL folded after 15 years in existence.

1993: In February, U.S. Soccer held the first-ever Strategic Summit where more than 250 soccer leaders and personalities met in Chicago for four days to plan the development of soccer into the 21st century. U.S. Cup ’93 was used as a dress rehearsal for World Cup organizers, officials and volunteers, as well as the U.S. Men. The USA Men’s 2-0 defeat of England made headlines around the world. Attendance and media interest were high, with 286,761 people attending the tournament’s six games, and ABC broadcasting the June 13 U.S.-Germany match.

The U.S. Under-20 Men defeated Europe’s No. 1 seed, Turkey, 6-0 in the first game of the World Youth Championship in Australia. FIFA officials called the trouncing one of the most extraordinary results in the history of the tournament.

The APSL was declared a Division II professional league. The United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), a men’s league, was given Division III status. Plans for Major League Soccer — a men’s professional Division I league to follow the legacy of World Cup ’94 — were presented by U.S. Soccer President Alan Rothenberg.

1994: U.S. Soccer served as host national association for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, staging the greatest event in FIFA history at the time. More than 3.5 million fans flocked to stadiums — still a World Cup record — and soccer fever in the U.S. was at an all-time high. The U.S. Men advanced beyond the first round for the first time in 64 years, falling to eventual champion Brazil 1-0 in a July 4 round of 16 showdown at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif. On June 4, 91,123 fans jammed the Rose Bowl to watch the U.S. defeat Mexico, 1-0, in its final tune-up prior to the World Cup. Game proceeds netted $1 million in U.S. Soccer contributions to UNICEF/Children’s Defense Fund.

The U.S. Women won the Chiquita Cup, a four-team international tournament in which the U.S. hosted Germany, China and Norway. The U.S. Women went on to successfully defend their CONCACAF championship, qualifying for the 1995 FIFA Women’s World Championship by outscoring the opposition 36-1 en route to winning all four qualification matches. Head coach Anson Dorrance announced his resignation and U.S. Soccer named assistant coach Tony DiCicco to succeed him.

1995: U.S. Soccer announced in February its intention to bid to host the 1999 Women’s World Cup and began the formal bid process with FIFA. The U.S. Men won the U.S. Cup ’95 in June, defeating Nigeria and Mexico and tying Colombia. Later that month, the U.S. Women placed third in the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Sweden, falling to eventual champion Norway in the semifinals 1-0, then defeating China.

In July, the Men made international headlines by advancing to the semifinals of Copa America. The U.S. Men scored their first-ever victory against Argentina, 3-0, and advanced via penalty kicks (against Mexico) into the semifinals before falling 1-0 to defending world champion Brazil. Steve Sampson, who had served as interim coach since April, was named full-time head coach in August.

1996: Women’s soccer was added to the Olympic Games for the first time at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, and the U.S. Women took home the gold medal, defeating China 2-1 in the championship game. The U.S. posted a 21-1-2 overall record and won the Brazil Cup and U.S. Women’s Cup ’96. The U.S. Men’s Olympic Team narrowly missed advancing to the quarterfinals with a 1-1-1 record.

Major League Soccer was launched, providing the United States with its first men’s Division I outdoor pro league since the North American Soccer League ceased operations in 1985. MLS averaged more than 17,000 fans per game. The A-League and USISL merged to form a larger and stronger Division II outdoor league.

FIFA awarded the 1999 Women’s World Cup to the United States and U.S. Soccer pledged it would be the biggest and most successful women’s sporting event ever.

1997: The U.S. Men qualified for a third straight World Cup, completing a 16-game qualifying run with just two losses and advancing with a game to spare. The U.S. Women continued their impressive play by winning their fourth straight Nike U.S. Cup.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup Organizing Committee awarded the 1999 games to seven U.S. locations: Boston; Chicago; Los Angeles; New York/New Jersey; Portland, Ore.; San Francisco Bay Area; and Washington, D.C.

1998: A disappointing World Cup finished with the U.S. Men in last place after two difficult match-ups against Germany and Yugoslavia, and a heartbreaking loss to Iran. Brian McBride scored the team’s only World Cup goal. The tournament concluded with the resignation of head coach Steve Sampson, who was eventually replaced on Oct. 27, by Bruce Arena.

The Women’s team continued their impressive play, losing just twice in 1998 while playing in front of record crowds all across the country. Dr. Bob Contiguglia took over as U.S. Soccer’s new President, replacing Alan I. Rothenberg, who had reached the eight-year term limit.

April Heinrichs is the first woman to be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

1999: In front of more than 90,000 fans at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., the U.S. Women won the 1999 FIFA World Cup by playing China to a 0-0 tie through regulation and overtime and then defeating them 5-4 in penalty kicks. Soccer hysteria spread through America as the Women appeared on every top news program, at the White House and on the cover of Time, Newsweek, People and Sports Illustrated. U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Tony DiCicco resigned in November as the winningest coach in U.S. Soccer history with a record of 103-8-8.

In Bruce Arena’s first full year at the helm of the U.S. Men, the team recorded triumphs against Germany (twice), Argentina, Chile and earns third place at the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico. The U-18 Women captured the gold, while the U-23 Men’s beat Canada for the bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada. The U-20 Men advanced to the second round of the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship in April, with their only two loses coming to eventual finalists Spain and Japan. Taylor Twellman scored four goals and earned the Bronze Boot to become the first American male in the modern era to earn a FIFA scoring award. In November, the U-17 Men extended a record unbeaten streak to 24 games, advancing to the semifinals of the World Championship before losing in penalty kicks to Australia. Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley earned the Gold and Silver Balls as the tournaments top two MVPs.

2000: The U.S. Women maintained the momentum from their historic Women’s World Cup title with 41 matches in 2000, posting a 26-6-9 record. The U.S. won six tournament titles in 2000, but had to settle for a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics, losing in overtime to archrival Norway in the gold medal match.

The Men were the surprise team of the tournament, winning their group and advancing to the semis before grabbing fourth place, the highest Olympic finish for the U.S.

Bruce Arena’s squad continued to advance toward their ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. The team secured 11 out of a possible 18 points – with four shutouts - to win its semifinal qualifying group.

2001: The U.S. Men qualified for a fourth straight World Cup, boosted by four wins and a draw to open the final round of CONCACAF qualifying. For the first time, the U.S. Men clinched a spot in the World Cup at a home qualifier, topping Jamaica 2-1 behind two goals from Joe-Max Moore in front of 40,483 fans at the last soccer match played at Foxboro Stadium.

The first women’s D1 professional league, the Women’s United Soccer Association (or “WUSA”) began play, with the Bay Area CyberRays winning the inaugural Founders Cup. Mia Hamm was named the first FIFA Women’s World Player of the Year.

The Under-17 Men advanced to a ninth consecutive FIFA U-17 World Cup, but were drawn into the Group of Death in Trinidad & Tobago with Japan, Nigeria and France, and were eliminated in the first round. The U.S. Under-20 Men qualified for their third straight FIFA World Youth Championship, where the team finished second in their group in Argentina and were eliminated in the second round by Egypt.

The National Professional Soccer League, in existence since 1984-95, merged with the WISL and is renamed as the Major Indoor Soccer League.

2002: The U.S. Men advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan, the team’s best World Cup showing since 1930. The U.S. shocked the world with a stunning 3-2 opening game upset of Portugal before eventually finishing in second place in Group D. The U.S. then posted their first victory in the World Cup knockout stage, blanking CONCACAF rival Mexico 2-0 in the Round of 16. Their World Cup run ended in the quarterfinals with a 1-0 loss to Germany. Claudio Reyna was named to the All-Tournament Team, while Landon Donovan earned honorable mention. The Men began 2002 by winning the CONCACAF Gold Cup in January with a convincing 2-0 victory against Costa Rica for the first Gold Cup title for the U.S. since 1991.

The U.S. Women qualified for their fourth consecutive FIFA Women’s World Cup after capturing the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 2- 1 overtime victory against Canada at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. The U.S. Under-19 Women topped the host Canadians 1-0 in overtime to win the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship. Kelly Wilson won the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third MVP and the Silver Boot, while captain Lindsay Tarpley earned the Bronze Boot.

The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team qualified for their fourth consecutive FIFA World Youth Championship. The U.S. National Futsal Team played their first home matches in history, defeating Canada and tying Mexico in March in Baltimore, Md., and Washington, D.C., respectively.

2003: Due to the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, FIFA relocated the Women’s World Cup out of China. After a successful bid to host the tournament, U.S. Soccer faced the unprecedented task of hosting the tournament with just four months of preparation. The U.S. Women won Group A and then beat Norway in the quarterfinals 1-0. But Germany stunned the U.S. with a 3-0 victory in the semifinals, which led the U.S. to top Canada in the third-place match. Shannon Boxx, Joy Fawcett and Mia Hamm all earned all-star honors from FIFA.

The U.S. Men, preparing for World Cup qualifying in 2004, finished in third place at the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 3-2 come-from-behind win against Costa Rica. The Men’s Under-17 and Under-20 squads finished their respective World Championships with fifth place finishes after bowing out with quarterfinal losses to Brazil and Argentina, respectively.

2004: The U.S. Women won every tournament entered, culminating with the 2004 Olympics. Other tournament titles included the Algarve Cup, the Four Nations Tournament and the CONCACAF Regional Olympic qualifying tournament, as the team set a record with 28 victories on the year.

Under head coach Bruce Arena, the U.S. Men qualified for the final round of World Cup Qualifying for the CONCACAF region. The Men finished the year with an 8-1-6 record, losing only to the Netherlands away and going a record 13-games undefeated.

The U-23 Men failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 1976, losing 4-0 to Mexico in Guadalajara after winning their group only match up against the second-place Mexicans in the single-elimination qualifier. The Under-19 Women finished third at the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship. The U.S. Futsal Team won the 2004 CONCACAF Championship and qualified for the 2004 FIFA Futsal World Championship, where the team had a strong showing with a seventh-place finish.

2005: Manager Bruce Arena led the U.S. Men to a first place finish in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying for the first time in 71 years, earning a berth at the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals in Germany with a 2-0 win against Mexico in Columbus, Ohio. The Men also brought home the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, beating Panama 3- 1 in penalty kicks after a scoreless draw. The team finished the year with a record 13 wins and .750 winning percentage.

The U.S. Women began a new era, starting off the year with a new coach and a third consecutive Algarve Cup title, their fourth overall. They ended the year undefeated and without allowing a single goal.

The Under-20 Men swept through CONCACAF Qualifying, earning a berth to the FIFA Youth World Championship, where they finished 11th, bowing out to Italy in the Round of 16. The Under-17 Men also had a strong 2005, qualifying for the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship and finishing fifth overall after a loss to Holland in the second round.

2006: A disappointing World Cup in Germany for the U. S. Men, as the team failed to advance out of the first round despite a gallant, nine-man 1-1 draw with eventual World Cup champions Italy. After eight years in charge, Bruce Arena was replaced at the helm of the U.S. MNT by Bob Bradley, on an interim basis.

Later in the summer, the U.S. Under-20 Women’s National Team finished fourth in Russia. The disappointing finish marked the first time a U.S. Women’s National Team had finished outside the top three in a Concacaf or FIFA World Championship event.

The U.S. Women, however, continued their incredible run under Greg Ryan, winning three of the four tournaments they entered. The year concluded with another Women’s Gold Cup crown and a berth in the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup in China.

2007: The U.S. Women maintained a two-plus year undefeated run, looking to take the streak into the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Drawn into the toughest group in Women’s World Cup history, the U.S. advanced in first place after three difficult games against Korea DPR, Sweden and Nigeria. The U.S. rolled into the semifinals, but was upended by a quality Brazil side. Eventually, the WNT took third place for the second consecutive World Cup with a convincing win against Norway. Former Swedish National Team player and captain Pia Sundhage was appointed to the position of WNT coach after Greg Ryan’s departure from the team.

Bob Bradley became the first Men’s coach to win his first three games in charge and was hired full-time to guide the USA through 2010. In the summer of 2007, the MNT won its second consecutive Gold Cup, and fourth total title, by defeating Mexico 2-1 in front of a packed house at Soldier Field in Chicago. With the victory, the MNT gained entry into the 2009 Confederations Cup. The Men also travelled to Venezuela to compete in Copa America for the third time.

After qualifying for their respective World Cups to continue impressive streaks, the U-17 Men and U- 20 Men took on the world during the summer in back-to-back tournaments. The U-20 team performed admirably in Canada, and reached the quarterfinals after defeats of Poland, Brazil and Uruguay. The U-17 team, meanwhile, did well to qualify from a tough group in South Korea, before being eliminated by Germany in the Round of 16.

Wilmer Cabrera was named head coach of the U-17 MNT, replacing John Hackworth. For the first time, U.S. Soccer hired four full-time referees to enhance high-level performance, training and development opportunities for the sport’s elite officials in the United States. The U.S. Soccer Development Academy launched in the fall.

2008: Led by Pia Sundhage, the U.S. Women had one of their best years ever, losing only one game, which ironically came in the opening match of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a tournament the U.S. would eventually win to take home their third gold medal. Overall, the U.S. WNT won all six tournaments they entered to finish with a 33-1-2 record, giving them the most wins and best winning percentage ever in a calendar year (.944).

The USMNT were successful in their own right, starting off on the right foot in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying with a 9-0 aggregate against Barbados in the second round. The U.S. opened the semifinal round with 1-0 victories in Guatemala and Cuba. Coming back to the U.S., home victories against T&T and Cuba clinched advancement with two games to play.

The U-23 Men joined the U.S. Women by qualifying for the 2008 Olympics in March, but just missed out on the second round once arriving in Beijing. Despite a 1-0 victory against Japan and a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands, the U.S. Men fell 2-1 against eventual silver medalist Nigeria. On the youth side, the U-17 and U-20 Women’s National Teams both made the championship match of their respective FIFA World Cups. In New Zealand, the U-17s went on an impressive run to the final before finally succumbing to Korea DPR in the final, but in Chile their older counterparts were able to exact revenge with a 2-1 victory to bring the World Cup trophy back to the United States for the first time since 2002.

Building off the initial kickoff in 2007, U.S. Soccer’s Development Academy wrapped up its first year with a collection of dynamic matches during Finals Week at The Home Depot Center. In the U-15/16 championship, Carmel United topped PDA 1-0, and the Baltimore Bays topped LAFC 4-2 to take the U-17/18 title.

2009: The U.S. Men opened 2009 focused on final round qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 win against archrival Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, Bob Bradley’s squad proceeded to go undefeated at home and clinch a spot in South Africa with a come-from-behind win in Honduras. They finished atop the CONCACAF table with a tie against Costa Rica in Washington, D.C., on the last day of qualifying.

During the summer, the U.S. Men traveled to South Africa to compete in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. The U.S. MNT was drawn into a group with Italy, Brazil and Egypt, and advanced into the semifinals by virtue of a 3-0 dismantling of Egypt in the final game. They kept the nation captivated by beating Spain, the No.1-ranked team in the world in the semifinals before falling 3-2 to Brazil in the final. Tim Howard was awarded the Golden Glove and Clint Dempsey given the Bronze Ball.

Led by coach Pia Sundhage, the U.S. Women had one of their best years ever, losing only one game, which ironically came in the opening match of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a tournament the U.S. would eventually win to take home their third gold medal. Overall, the USWNT won all six tournaments they entered to finish with a 33-1-2 record, giving them the most wins and best winning percentage ever in a calendar year (.944).

Both the U-17 and U-20 Men’s National Teams competed in their respective FIFA World Cups this year, with the U-17 team advancing out of the group stage in Nigeria before falling to Italy in the Round of 16. A tough group containing Germany, Cameroon and Korea Republic saw the U-20s out of the tournament following the first round in Egypt.

The U.S. Soccer Development Academy completed its second year of competition in 2009, once again concluding the season with Finals Week at The Home Depot Center. In the U-15/16 age group, playoff No.1-seed Derby County Wolves continued their strong season straight through Finals Week with a title. Indiana United Academy defeated D.C. United to take home the U-17/18 championship.

2010: The year’s most memorable moment came in the U.S. Men’s third group game at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as Landon Donovan scored a last-minute goal for the U.S. to clinch advancement and clinch a group for the first time in 80 years. Following a 1-1 tie with England, a 2-2 tie with Slovenia and a 1-0 win against Algeria, the U.S. was eliminated in the Round of 16, losing to Ghana 2-1. Clint Dempsey became the second U.S. player to score in multiple World Cups, and Landon Donovan had three total goals to become the third to score in multiple World Cups and the all-time World Cup goal leader for the U.S.

After a surprising loss to Mexico in the semifinals of Women’s CONCACAF qualifying, the U.S. topped Italy 2-0 in a two-game qualifying playoff to earn a spot in the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The U.S. won its seventh Algarve Cup with the first of two victories against 2011 hosts Germany.

The U.S. Under-20 Women lost in penalty kicks to Nigeria in the quarterfinals of the 2010 FIFA U-20 World Cup, while the U-17 Women became the first U.S. Women’s team to fail to qualify for a FIFA World Cup event after not advancing out of the CONACACAF qualifying tournament.

No Division II league met U.S. Soccer’s sanctioning standards for professional leagues, so the Federation administered a league called USSF D-2 for one year.

2011: The U.S. Women were on center stage during the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany. Their dramatic run in the Women’s World Cup was highlighted by an electric, come-from-behind victory in the quarterfinals against Brazil, in which Abby Wambach scored the latest goal (six minutes into stoppage time) ever in a World Cup match. The U.S., however, would lose out in penalties to a spirited Japanese side in the final after playing to a 2-2 draw through 120 minutes.

During the summer of 2011 at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the U.S. MNT advanced to its third consecutive final, scoring two early goals before falling 4-2 to Mexico. The continental tournament would prove to be Bob Bradley’s last involvement as head coach of the U.S., with former Germany international and FIFA World Cup winner Jurgen Klinsmann taking the helm of the U.S. Men in August. He earned his first win in Miami against Honduras thanks to a Clint Dempsey strike and later led the team to a 3-2 victory against Slovenia in its last game of the year.

The U-17 and U-20 Men’s National Teams both entered another cycle of their respective FIFA World Cups. The U-17 Men reached the knockout round for the seventh time but lost to Germany in the Round of 16. After winning their qualifying group with two shutout victories, the U-20s graduated to the quarterfinals but fell to Guatemala and did not reach the World Cup for the first time since 1995.

2012: The U.S. WNT capped off the 2012 London Olympics with a 2-1 victory against Japan in front of more than 80,000 spectators at Wembley Stadium as the U.S. Women earned their fourth Olympic gold – a first for any country on the men’s and women’s sides. Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the USA, capping off a tournament that featured a dramatic game-winning goal from 2012 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year Alex Morgan in the 123rd minute of the team’s semifinal victory against Canada.

The U.S. MNT advanced to the final round of 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, defeating Guatemala 3-1 in the final Group A match of the Semifinal Round as Clint Dempsey scored his 29th and 30th career goals to tie Brian McBride for third all-time in U.S. history. The U.S. Men also had some memorable international friendly victories in 2012, including the first win on Mexico’s home soil – a 1-0 victory at Estadio Azteca on Aug. 15.

The U.S. U-20 WNT defeated defending champion Germany 1-0 in the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Tokyo. Kealia Ohai scored the game’s lone goal and the Americans earned their third World Cup crown in the tournament’s history. The U.S. U-17 WNT competed in the 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and in an extremely rare occurrence did not advance past the group stage despite an unbeaten 1-0-2 record.

2013: U.S. Soccer celebrated its 100th birthday in 2013, marking the occasion with a doubleheader event on June 2 as the U.S. MNT beat Germany 4-3 in an electrifying match in the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. The U.S. WNT also enjoyed victorious celebration as it defeated Canada 2-0 in Toronto in the first match since the dramatic semifinal victory in the 2012 London Olympics.

The MNT accomplished its primary task of qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, marking the seventh-consecutive time the team has reached the finals. The USA finished in first place for the third straight CONCACAF cycle, highlighted by yet another “Dos a Cero” victory against regional rival Mexico. The team captured its fifth Gold Cup title, winning all six matches en route to the championship. A multitude of team and individual records were broken, a Snow Clasico played out in Denver and a dramatic comeback against Panama punctuated the end of the qualifying campaign.

The U.S. Women’s unbeaten 2013 campaign was highlighted by Abby Wambach capturing the international scoring record on June 20 with four goals against Korea Republic at Red Bull Arena. She surpassed Mia Hamm’s record of 158 and continued to extend the record, ending the year on 163.

2014: A banner year for U.S. Soccer. Growth is the word that best defined the year as record numbers of fans flocked to stadiums, parks and any available TV to see the U.S. MNT compete at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Impressive new television and sponsor agreements were signed, allowing U.S. Soccer to invest heavily in its coaching and youth development programs.

Early in the year, the U.S. WNT transitioned to the guidance of former interim head coach and long-time assistant Jill Ellis, who led the team to an impressive qualification to the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada as well as a 17-1-4 record to finish the year. Along the way, team captain Christie Rampone became only the second soccer player in history – man or woman – to reach 300 caps for their country. The team also brought in talented youngsters such as Morgan Brian, Julie Johnston and Crystal Dunn.

The U.S. MNT’s year was highlighted by a successful run to the Round of 16 at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann guided the team out of the ‘Group of Death’ on the back of a cathartic win against Ghana and a dramatic draw against the world’s No. 1 player Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. Despite goalkeeper Tim Howard’s heroics – and tournament record 15 saves – against Belgium, the USA exited in the first knockout round. The team and soccer culture in the United States was then stunned by the retirement of the greatest player it had ever produced when Landon Donovan decided to hang up his cleats after playing one final match for his country in an October friendly against Ecuador.

2015: A year of continued evolution for the U.S. Soccer National Teams and Federation as a whole saw the U.S. WNT claim the most coveted prize in the sport by winning the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in record breaking fashion vs. Japan. It was a dominant year for the WNT, which also won a final Algarve Cup title early in the year before launching the #SheBelieves campaign aimed at inspiring fans throughout the world to achieve their dreams and then drawing record TV audiences for its World Cup games that subsequently led to record crowds during its Victory Tour.

The U.S. MNT’s high-water mark came in June when the team won back-to-back friendlies on European soil vs. the Netherlands and reigning World Cup champions Germany. The team also saw an injection of youth in its ranks as promising young players climbed the MNT program ladder from a talented U-20 team that made an inspired run to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Quarterfinals up to the U-23 MNT and in the case of defender Matt Miazga the full National Team. Despite undesirable results in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup and CONCACAF Cup, the MNT closed out the year with quality results in its first two games of Semifinal Round Qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

2016: Another big year for U.S. Soccer saw its Men’s and Women’s teams of all age groups find success throughout the year. On the Women’s side, the year began with a storming run to the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament title by the senior team, which then won the inaugural #SheBelieves Cup with victories against European powers England, France and Germany. From there another pair of quality results against rival Japan had the team looking good heading into the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio; however, a bitter Round of 16 exit at the hands of former coach Pia Sundhage and Sweden on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw left a sour taste. The team finished the year strong, winning its remaining six games while introducing a wealth of young talent.

Additionally, the U-20 WNT made a strong run at the U-20 Women’s World Cup, reaching the third-place match.

The Men’s National Team had a roller coaster of a year. A must-win World Cup Qualifying match at home to Guatemala saw the USA come good to set the team up for an impressive summer run at the Copa America Centenario, which was hosted in the United States. Despite an opening match loss to Colombia, the U.S. recovered to steam into a semifinal showdown against world power Argentina, where the team was defeated by a sublime performance from five-time FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi. The MNT righted the ship by cruising into the Final Round of 2018 World Cup Qualifying with a pair of high-flying wins. But the year would take a sharp turn once more as defeats to Mexico at home and Costa Rica away sealed the fate of Jurgen Klinsmann as head coach and saw former manager Bruce Arena reinstalled to lead the team in 2017.

2017: The U.S. Women’s National Team experienced one of its busiest, most competitive schedules to begin a World Cup and Olympic cycle. The team played seven teams in the top 10 of the FIFA Women’s World Rankings on the way to compiling a 12-3-1 record that included an eight-game unbeaten streak to finish the year. The USA hosted two major tournaments in the SheBelieves Cup and the Tournament of Nations, as head coach Jill Ellis used the year for experimentation and player evaluation as more than 50 players were seen in training camps and games while six players earned first caps.

After starting the Final Round of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying with two defeats to end the previous year, the U.S. Men’s National Team set a different course with the return of Bruce Arena as head coach.

The turnaround began in March when the U.S. picked up eight points via two home wins and two away draws, one against Mexico at the revered Estadio Azteca. With qualifying stabilized, attention shifted to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the U.S. earned its sixth confederation title when Jordan Morris’ 88th minute game winner defeated Jamaica in the championship match on July 26.

With a regional crown in hand, the MNT returned to qualifying in September, but faltered with a home defeat to Costa Rica and away draw with Honduras that saw the USA still alive with two qualifying matches left. An impressive 4-0 win against Panama pushed the U.S. to the brink of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup, but needing just a draw on the last matchday at Trinidad & Tobago, the side fell 2-1 to the Soca Warriors in Couva, Trinidad. That result, combined with Honduras’ and Panama’s wins that night, knocked the U.S. out of World Cup contention.

Arena resigned on Oct. 13, opening the search for a new head coach. A month later the beginnings of a new-look MNT took its initial step when a young team led by acting head coach Dave Sarachan played defending European champions Portugal to a 1-1 draw.

On the youth side, the U.S. was one of only two nations to see its U-17 and U-20 Men’s National Teams reach the Quarterfinals of their respective World Cups. The U-17 squad secured its spot at its World Cup with a second-place finish at the CONCACAF U-17 Championship. The U-20 MNT qualified for the competition by winning the CONCACAF U-20 Championship for the first time in federation history, defeating Honduras on penalties.

Additionally, the Paralympic National Team earned its best finish at a major world competition since the 1996 Paralympic Games with a fifth-place result at the 2017 IFCPF CP Football World Championships in San Luis, Argentina.

2018: After an exhaustive year-long campaign, the United Bid of the United States, Canada and Mexico were voted joint hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the 68th FIFA Congress in Moscow on June 13.

The U.S. Women’s National Team went unbeaten through 20 matches in 11 states and two countries in a year that will go down as one of the most successful in program history. The squad lifted three trophies by winning the SheBelieves Cup, the Tournament of Nations, and the Concacaf Championship. Jill Ellis’ side punched its ticket to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in dominant fashion, winning all five qualifiers by a combined score of 26-0. In its penultimate match of the year, the USA captured its 500th all-time victory with a 1-0 win versus Portugal in Lisbon.

The U.S. Men’s National Team took on a transitional year in 2018 by facing one of the most challenging schedules in team history. The USA squared off against the likes of Brazil, England, Italy, and Colombia in a gauntlet designed to test a new generation of the red, white, and blue. One of the team’s best moments came in June, when it drew eventual World Cup champion France, 1-1, in Lyon. The USA then hired its first-ever General Manager in Earnie Stewart and new head coach Gregg Berhalter to lead the charge toward the 2022 World Cup.

On the youth side, the U-15 Girls’ National Team, U-17 Women’s National Team, and U-20 Men’s National Team all won Concacaf Championships. The Para 7-a-Side team qualified for the 2019 IFCPF World Cup with a third-place finish at Copa America.

2019: The U.S. Women’s National Team experienced an historic 2019 that saw the team win its fourth World Cup title. The U.S. set Women’s World Cup records for goals (26), goal differential (plus-23) and never trailed to become the first team to go 7-0-0 in the Women’s World Cup. Midfielder Megan Rapinoe was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player and the Golden Boot as its top scorer with six goals and three assists. At the conclusion of the 2019 Victory Tour, head coach Jill Ellis retired with a remarkable 106-7-19 overall record. On October 28, U.S. Soccer announced Vlatko Andonovski as the ninth head coach in USWNT history. The Andonovski era started on a high note as the U.S. closed out 2019 with wins over Sweden and Costa Rica.

In head coach Gregg Berhalter’s first year in charge, the U.S. Men’s National Team started his tenure with friendly wins over Panama, Costa Rica and Ecuador while earning a 1-1 draw with defending Copa América champions Chile. En route to its 11th Gold Cup Final, the USMNT outscored opponents 15-1 in three group stage and two knockout round matches before falling to Mexico,1-0. After another loss to Mexico in a friendly a couple of months later, the U.S. rebounded with a 1-1 draw vs. world No. 5 Uruguay. The inaugural edition of the Concacaf Nations League served as the next set of games on the schedule for the USA. Drawn into Nations League A, Group A, the USMNT closed out the year with home and away matches against Canada and Cuba. With two wins against Cuba and one over Canada, the U.S. advanced to the Final Round of Nations League and finished the year at No. 22 in FIFA’s world rankings, up three spots from 2018, its highest year-end finish since 2013 (14th).

On the youth side, the U.S. became the only nation to reach the quarterfinals of the last three U-20 World Cups. Before falling to Ecuador in the quarterfinals, the U-20 USMNT advanced to the knockout stage with wins over Nigeria and Qatar before upsetting tournament favorite France with a 3-2 comeback victory in the Round of 16. The U-17 USMNT qualified for a record 17th FIFA U-17 World Cup after reaching the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship Final. With wins over Belgium, Czech Republic and the Republic of Ireland, the U.S. Under-17 Women’s National Team won the UEFA Women’s Development Tournament in Czech Republic. Additionally, the U.S. Para 7-a-Side National Team won the program’s first Parapan American Games medal with a dominating 7-0 win against Venezuela to claim the bronze at the 2019 tournament and the Beach Soccer Women’s National Team was launched.

2020: A year that was supposed to be a busy schedule for the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams as well as several youth teams was largely halted due to the global health pandemic caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in March.

In their first full year under head coach Vlatko Andonovski, the U.S. Women’s National Team started 2020 with an energy and performances befitting a team aiming to win a World Cup and an Olympics in back-to-back years. Yet the day after the USA won the 2020 SheBelieves Cup and capped a perfect 8-0-0 start to 2020 – including qualifying for the Tokyo Games - the sports world shut down. The Olympics were eventually postponed, all of the USA’s programming was cancelled, and the team would not hit the field again for seven months when an October training camp was held in Colorado. On Nov. 27, the USWNT finally played its first game in 261 days, a rousing 2-0 win vs. the Netherlands in Breda to close the year ranked No. 1 in the world.

The U.S. Men’s National Team opened the year with a 1-0 win over Costa Rica in February, then did not reconvene again until November, playing Wales to a 0-0 draw on Nov. 12 and beating Panama, 6-2, on Nov. 16. Gregg Berhalter’s side then closed the year with a commanding 6-0 victory over El Salvador in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the first domestic match for any U.S. National Team since the start of the pandemic.
On the youth side, the Under-20 U.S. Women’s National Team opened the year by winning the 2020 Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship and in the process, qualifying for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all youth World Cups scheduled for 2020 and 2021 were cancelled.

2021: The U.S. Women’s National Team hit the ground running in 2021, becoming the first team to win back-to-back SheBelieves Cup titles in the tournament’s six-year history after recording wins over Canada, Brazil, and Argentina, while also becoming the first team to finish the tournament without conceding any goals. In July, the team earned its first-ever bronze medal at the delayed 2020 Olympic Tournament in Tokyo, which had been pushed back a year due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. During that competition, Samantha Mewis and Kristie Mewis made history by becoming the first sisters to represent the USWNT at a major senior tournament (after doing so at two Youth FIFA World Cups). The team finished the year with a 17-2-5 record, a +64 goal differential and an .812 winning percentage, all the while continuing to build on a 62-game home unbeaten streak to end 2021. The USWNT once again finished the year at the top of the FIFA Rankings. Six players earned their first cap on the year, while legendary midfielder-turned-forward Carli Lloyd retired as the second-most capped player in world soccer history with 316 games played.

The Men’s National Team recorded one of its best years in history, setting a record for most wins in a calendar year after posting a 17-2-3 record in 2021. The USMNT won two major titles in one summer as they conquered the Concacaf Gold Cup and the inaugural Concacaf Nations League – beating archrival Mexico in both finals -- while featuring two young and almost completely different rosters in each tournament. The team went on to finish the year with three wins against El Tri after adding a thrilling “Dos a Cero” victory in Cincinnati during World Cup Qualifying. The MNT also ended the year ranked 11th in the FIFA World Rankings, making the USA the highest-ranked in Concacaf and marking their highest year-end ranking since 2005. In addition to 27 players earning their first appearance in a World Cup Qualifier, head coach Gregg Berhalter twice sent out starting lineups that were the youngest ever for the United States in a qualifier. The team also boasted a +34 goal differential, a .841 winning percentage, and a .54 goals against average, all of which were best in team history, while their 12 clean sheets tied their best record in that category.

On the youth side, after a long pause in regular programming due to the pandemic, the U-17 and U-20 U.S. Women’s Youth National Teams and the U-17 Men’s Youth National Team returned to the field in October with training camps in Chula Vista, Calif. In November, the U-20 MYNT kicked off a new cycle at the Revelations Cup in Mexico as it prepares for the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship which will serve as qualification to the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2024 Summer Olympics. The U-20 WYNT also held an end-of-year training camp in December as they prepared for the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Women’s Championship in the Dominican Republic. The YNT programs underwent several changes in coaching staffs as Gonzalo Segares was named U-17 MYNT head coach (previously U-15 MYNT) and Tracey Kevins was named U-20 WYNT head coach (previously U-15 and U-17 WYNT), while Mikey Varas, Natalia Astrain, and Katie Schoepfer were hired as U-20 MYNT, U-17 WYNT, and U-15 WYNT head coaches, respectively.

2022: The U.S. Women’s National Team started off the year by winning its fifth overall SheBelieves Cup title in a tournament that included Iceland, Czech Republic and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup co-host New Zealand. In July, the USA won the 2022 Concacaf W Championship in Monterrey, Mexico, to earn berths to both the 2023 WWC and the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the newly formatted tournament, the U.S. Women claimed the title with a 5-0-0 run and a 1-0 victory over Canada in the championship game. The USWNT closed out the year with losses at England and Spain, then split with Germany in a two-game set at home, but still finished 2022 ranked No. 1 in the world for the seventh consecutive year.

The U.S. Men’s National Team closed out the arduous and demanding qualification process in the Octagonal in March 2022, earning one of the confederation’s three automatic berths to the World Cup and returning to the world’s biggest stage for the first time since 2014. The USA’s starting lineups during those games averaged 23 years, 302 days, which is the youngest average age in team history during a qualifying cycle. Just weeks later, the team was drawn into one of the most challenging groups in Qatar alongside England, Wales and IR Iran. The USA earned a win and two draws to advance out of the group, all the while making history as the match against England set a record for the most-watched men’s soccer game on American English-language television ever, amassing 15.3 million viewers on FOX plus another 4.6 million on Telemundo. After the team’s World Cup exit in the Round of 16 against Netherlands, the USA finished the year ranked 13th in the FIFA world rankings.

On the youth side, the U-20 Men’s Youth National Team won its third consecutive Concacaf U-20 Championship title, qualifying for the 2024 Olympics in Paris in the process and marking the USA’s return to its first Men’s Olympic Football Tournament since Beijing 2008. The U-17 Women’s Youth National Team won its third consecutive and record fifth overall Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship and went on to reach the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Quarterfinals after topping their group, before falling just short against Nigeria in penalty kicks. The U-20 WYNT went undefeated to win the Concacaf Women’s U-20 Championship, earning a record seventh Concacaf title for this age group. The USA bowed out of the U-20 Women’s World Cup in the group stage, albeit after matches against tough opposition in Japan, Netherlands and Ghana.

2023: The U.S. Women’s National Team started off the year by winning its sixth overall SheBelieves Cup title in a tournament that included Brazil, Canada, and Japan. In the summer, the USWNT took part in its ninth-straight FIFA Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, navigating the group stage before falling to Sweden on penalty kicks in the Round of 16.

In March, the USMNT qualified for its second-straight Concacaf Nations League Final Four, defeating Grenada 7-1 and El Salvador 1-0 to finish on top of its group. In June, the side then claimed its second CNL title, routing Mexico 3-0 in the semifinal before upending Canada 2-0 in the Final. During the CNL Final, it was announced that Gregg Berhalter would return as USMNT head coach beginning in the fall, and the USA immediately moved into Concacaf Gold Cup play, where it navigated through the group stage, before eventually falling to Panama on penalty kicks in the semifinal. Berhalter returned to the helm in the fall, where the USA went 3-1-0 in four friendlies, before defeating Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 on aggregate in the 2023-24 CNL Quarterfinals to qualify for the tournament semifinals as well as Copa America 2024.

On the youth side, the U-20 USMNT advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup for the fourth-consecutive tournament, finishing on top of its group and defeating New Zealand 4-0 in the Round of 16 before falling 2-0 to eventual champions Uruguay in the quarterfinal. The U-17 USMNT also advanced from its group at the U-17 World Cup, before falling 3-2 to eventual champs Germany in the Round of 16.

In September, U.S. Soccer announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art National Training Center in Fayetteville Georgia, with plans to relocate its headquarters there ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

2024: Under the new guidance of head coach Emma Hayes, the U.S. Women’s National Team won its record fifth Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The USWNT went a perfect 6-0-0, including three consecutive 1-0 wins in the Knockout Rounds, culminating with the victory against Brazil in the final on Aug. 10 at the Parc des Princes.

In March, the USMNT claimed its third consecutive Concacaf Nations League title, defeating Mexico 2-0 in the final played on March 24 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. After failing to advance from the group during the 2024 Copa América, the team moved on from head coach Gregg Berhalter and hired experienced Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino to lead the charge toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil.

On the youth side, both the U-20 and U-17 Women’s National Teams claimed third place at their FIFA World Cups in Colombia and Dominican Republic, respectively. Meanwhile, the U-20 Men’s National Team finished as runners-up at the 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship in Mexico, qualifying for the following year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup to be played in Chile.

On the Extended National Teams front, the U.S. Women’s Deaf National Team played its first international match on home soil, defeating Australia 11-0 in the first match of a historic doubleheader with the USWNT on June 1 in Commerce City, Colo. The match was also the first U.S. Soccer-presented Extended National Teams match to be broadcast, coming on truTV and Telemundo Digital Platforms, as well as being the first ENT match to have a presenting partner in Volkswagen.