Sports Analytics Research
More Teams, More Surprises? What 30,000 Simulated World Cups Say About the 48-Team Format
The 2026 World Cup is the largest in the tournament’s history: 48 teams, 12 groups of four, and a brand-new Round of 32. With it comes a familiar promise — and a familiar worry. A bigger field should mean more chaos, more dark horses, and a harder road for the favorites.
Predicting Every Round of 32 Matchup
A talent-gap model built from 96 World Cup knockouts
How Far Can the U.S. Men’s National Team Go? What the Data Says About Hosting a World Cup
In 96 years of World Cup soccer, the United States has never made anyone outside its own borders use those words. "Win the World Cup" is not a phrase that has historically lived in the same paragraph as "USMNT." It does now.
World Cup Another Tipping Point for U.S. Soccer: Q&A with Darin White
Darin White, founder of Samford University’s Sports Industry Program, is a former collegiate player and coach who offers perspective on the Americans' attempts to finally become a soccer power:
The Pep Problem
What 12 Years of Premier League Data Says About Possession Soccer Ahead of the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 USMNT Is the Best American Soccer Team in History. It Still Isn't Good Enough.
In Manhattan, USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino unveiled the 26-man roster that will represent the United States at a home World Cup for the first time in 32 years. The question every American fan should be asking now that this roster is set is also the question this article exists to answer: is this team good enough?
