Why the USMNT's World Cup campaign is staying out west

After three weeks in Southern California, the U.S. men’s national team is preparing for the knockout phase while remaining on the West Coast. While the USMNT typically travels across the entire country, its home World Cup is playing out entirely on the Pacific coast.

Following group games near Los Angeles and in Seattle, the U.S. will head to the Bay Area for a round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. If successful, the Americans will return to Seattle for the round of 16, with a potential quarterfinal back in Southern California. This geographic consistency was a specific goal for the U.S. Soccer Federation.

U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson explained that the federation aimed to establish a long-term base camp to utilize high-quality infrastructure and provide a stable atmosphere. Former head coach Gregg Berhalter noted that during initial planning, the primary advice to FIFA was to minimize travel and time zone changes.

This strategy aligns with broader tournament logistics, as FIFA agreed that teams should stay within specific regions given the vast geographic footprint of the 2026 World Cup across 16 North American cities. Since arriving in California on June 6, the U.S. team has only taken two flights.

Winning Group D proved pivotal, as it allowed the team to avoid long-distance travel to Texas or Atlanta. Despite the distance from fans in other parts of the country, players have praised the conditions at their coastal training base as an ideal environment for success.