Why It's Time for US Soccer to Completely Eliminate Pay-to-Play

The 2026 FIFA World Cup was supposed to be an inflection point for the US Men's National Team. It was supposed to be, at the very least, their first run to the World Cup quarterfinal in a quarter-century. Instead, it was more of the same old script, with the USMNT beating Paraguay, Australia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina before losing to a Belgium side that had appeared to have been sleepwalking through the competition. Ultimately, it was a massive disappointment for a side expected to be one of the competition's dark horses.

Now, the USMNT have extended manager Mauricio Pochettino's contract as they gear up towards 2030, which will likely be the last World Cup for the 'Golden Generation' of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Folarin Balogun, and Tyler Adams. However, one thing's for sure: the USA will never fully reach its footballing potential until they get rid of their pay-to-play model. Today, we're taking a look at the insidious financial model that is limiting US Soccer's progress, and the organizations who are fighting against it.

https://x.com/USMNT/status/2084263348816814353?s=20

From swimming to basketball, from gymnastics to track & field, from hockey to American football, it's hard to find a sport that the United States hasn't dominated in. But as opposed to their women's program, their men's soccer program has consistently fallen short in the world's biggest competition. After losing 6-1 to Argentina in the semifinal of the inaugural edition, the USA lost in the opening round of the 1934 World Cup, before exiting the group stage in 1950.