Tim Howard Sets USMNT Quarterfinal Benchmark at 2026 World Cup, Eyes Final 35 Miles From Home
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 2
Tim Howard Sets USMNT Quarterfinal Benchmark at 2026 World Cup, Eyes Final 35 Miles From Home
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 2
Quarterfinals are Tim Howard’s benchmark for a successful 2026 World Cup run by the United States, with the former goalkeeper saying anything less than advancing from the group would be a failure.
Howard said the U.S. should win a group featuring Australia, Paraguay and Turkey, then beat a likely third-place team in the Round of 32 before facing a top-10 or top-20 opponent in the Round of 16.
New York/New Jersey also gives the tournament a personal pull for Howard: the final will be held about 35 miles from where he grew up in central New Jersey, and he said it was the only fitting host over Dallas.
At 47, Howard said he has never attended a World Cup final because no U.S. men’s team has reached one, though he argued a poor 2026 showing still would not derail soccer’s growth in the United States.