IRVINE, Calif. — The United States men’s national team arrived in Southern California on Monday to enthusiastic support from thousands of fans as preparations intensified for its opening match of the FIFA World Cup.
Several thousand supporters attended the team’s public training session at Orange County’s Great Park after securing tickets through a lottery that attracted approximately 32,000 applicants, underscoring growing excitement surrounding the tournament on home soil.
The United States will play all three of its group-stage matches on the West Coast, beginning with Friday’s opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Captain Tim Ream said the squad has been encouraged by the level of public support it has received throughout its preparations.
“I think the group is in a really good place at the minute,” Ream said. “We’ve all been pleasantly surprised by the excitement and the buzz around the team. Pulling up here with 5,500 fans ready to watch a training session is incredible.”
The team gathered in Georgia last month before playing two international friendlies over the past week and has now established its training base in Irvine for at least the next three weeks.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino praised both the facilities and the reception the team has received.
“The facilities are amazing. It’s more than we expected, and not only the facilities, but the people who are here working,” Pochettino said. “Great facilities and great people are an amazing combination.”
Before taking the field, Pochettino interacted with supporters and led a “U-S-A!” chant during FIFA’s Community Day event.
For Ream, the tournament represents a rare opportunity to compete in a World Cup hosted by the United States, something he described as a once-in-a-career experience.
“I’m old enough that I remember bits and pieces of 1994,” the 38-year-old defender said, referring to the last men’s World Cup held in the United States. “I’ve tried to tell the guys that this is a once-in-a-career opportunity. With that comes more expectation and more pressure, but we have to enjoy it.”
He added that the players are placing the greatest expectations on themselves and should embrace the unique occasion.
The Americans are not considered among the tournament favorites but will play before home crowds in a country where soccer has grown significantly since the 1994 World Cup. Their training venue is the home stadium of Orange County SC of the USL Championship, a league that did not exist when the United States last hosted the competition.
The team also received a positive injury update as defender Chris Richards participated fully in training after recovering from a left ankle injury suffered while playing for Crystal Palace last month.
Richards missed the two recent friendlies but appears to be on track for inclusion in the final squad, which must be confirmed before the tournament begins.
