Like a lot of cities in America, most citizens of Milwaukee see soccer as a development sport. With no professional clubs to follow in the area, attention turns instead to the likes of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team as they battle it out for glory in the NBA.
That could all change in the coming four years: Milwaukee will shortly have a professional side in the USL, while the United States are set to host part of the World Cup in 2026.
It’s an exciting time to be a fan and that excitement can start to build at this year’s global tournament in Qatar.
How Can Milwaukee Soccer Fans Get Involved in the World Cup?
Entry Level
In 2025, a team known as Milwaukee Pro Soccer will join the United Soccer League. The USL is the second tier of the sport within the United States and is just one step below the professional status of Major League Soccer.
For some teams, the USL can provide a steppingstone into MLS and that will be the ultimate aim for the new Milwaukee side. They will look to develop a local fanbase and it’s hoped that Milwaukeeans will get behind their new sports team.
Tomorrow, we wear blue.
At home and here in Qatar, we ask that you do too 🔵 pic.twitter.com/kFraMsExGM
— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) November 28, 2022
One year later, the 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Mexico is an established soccer nation who have previously hosted two World Cups on their own, but this is a great boost for the game in the US and Canada.
By having a local team to follow, citizens of Milwaukee can feel the excitement build for the 2026 tournament, but there is already a World Cup to follow across the next few weeks.
Flying the Flag
The United States Men’s Soccer Team have qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Coach Gregg Berhalter’s side will be aiming to go deep into the tournament and that’s a target that all Milwaukee sports fans can get behind.
The initial stages of the World Cup see the 32 teams split into eight groups of four. Each side will play each other once and, at the end of this sequence, the top two countries in all sections will progress to the knockout stage.
USMNT have been drawn in Group B along with England, Wales and Iran. 2018 semifinalists England are favorites to progress while current World Cup odds show that it will be a tight battle between Wales and the US for the second qualifying place.
The key fixture, as far as US supporters are concerned, will take place on November 21 when their team take on the Welsh. If coach Berhalter and his side can take three points from that game, they should progress to the knockouts.
Hopes Rest with the Current USMNT Roster
Who are the men with the responsibility of taking the USA soccer team into the Round of 16 and, possibly, beyond? The coach sprang a surprise when he dropped the experienced goalkeeper Zack Steffen from the roster for Qatar.
Aside from Steffen’s absence, the group will be familiar to those who follow US soccer on a regular basis. Goals win games and the leading scorer in the squad is Christian Pulisic who plays for Chelsea in the English Premier League.
Pulisic has 21 goals in 52 games for USMNT and he will be supported by Seattle Sounders’ Jordan Morris who has 11 international goals of his own. The rising star among US strikers is Jesus Ferreira. The 21-year-old plays for FC Dallas and has an excellent ratio of seven goals in his first 15 senior international games.
In defense, the most senior member of this squad is Inter Miami’s DeAndre Yedlin. He has 75 caps to date and, while he couldn’t quite impress his previous European clubs, he has been a rock at the heart of the USA defense for a number of years.
With Zack Steffen missing out, Arsenal’s Matt Turner is the most experienced goalkeeper in the USMNT squad. He could be vital to the side’s hopes of progression and, if the team does reach the knockout stages, Turner will be preparing to face the prospect of those dreaded penalty shootouts.
Standing in the way of Progress
The minimum target for Gregg Berhalter and his USA side is to get out of that group. It’s a tough section but, once a team progresses to the knockouts, anything can happen.
It’s easy for fans to assess the team’s chances of success. Simple online searches such as World Cup Stats or Head-to-Head Soccer Results will bring up a wealth of information. They will show, for example, that the USA are unbeaten in two previous World Cup games against England.
Hopefully for soccer fans in Milwaukee and those in the wider United States, those positive trends will continue in 2022.
