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The stage is set for the United States men’s national team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as it will feature in Group B.
The World Cup draw took place on Friday, where the USMNT watched as it drew England, Iran, and the winner of the UEFA Path A playoff. The USMNT last met England in 2018, when the Three Lions came away with a 3-0 international friendly win. It has not faced Iran since 2000 when the two sides finished with a 1-1 draw result in international friendly play.
USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter sees his team is in for thrilling fixtures later this year, which he touched on to BBC Sport.
“With England it's an exciting match-up, Iran are a diverse opponent who did well in qualifying and then we'll have to wait to see our third opponent,” Berhalter said.
“Overall, I'm pleased with the group and excited to get started.”
As Berhalter noted, the USMNT does not yet know on which team it will meet for the opening match of its World Cup group stage schedule. Wales will await the winner of the UEFA Path A semifinal encounter between Scotland and Ukraine in June.
The USMNT last faced Wales and Scotland in international friendly fixtures back in 2020 and 2013 respectively, while Berhalter knows just what it would mean for Ukraine to qualify for this year’s World Cup.
“We played Wales recently in a friendly, we know Scotland and then you're pulling for Ukraine naturally because of what's happening in the country,” Berhalter said.
For now, the USMNT will return to action in June for 2022-2023 Concacaf Nations League fixtures. In the big picture, it will be noteworthy to see whether the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) plans to schedule multiple international friendly contests in the fall in anticipation of World Cup group stage play.
