Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 9
Gronkowski Backs 48-Team US World Cup Bid as Team USA Opens June 12
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 9

Gronkowski Backs 48-Team US World Cup Bid as Team USA Opens June 12

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 9

Summary

  • June 12 marks the USMNT’s World Cup opener against Paraguay, with Rob Gronkowski saying he is “Team USA all the way” as the home tournament begins.
  • Gronkowski said he has been learning soccer on Tubi’s “The Other Football” with Jameis Winston, framing the 2026 event as a chance for more Americans to understand the sport.
  • The former NFL star called a U.S. title run a miracle but set a lower benchmark: reaching the knockout stage and winning one game would feel like a major success.
  • The expanded 48-team format debuts this week, with the U.S. facing Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye in Group D as two teams from each group — plus eight third-place finishers — advance.

Insights

Will this World Cup prove Rob Gronkowski's theory that American athletes can dominate soccer?
Can America's 'golden generation' finally overcome its historical limits on home soil?