As the United States prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, its primary preparatory event is going on right now: the inaugural expanded Club World Cup, featuring 32 teams from around the world. But several of next summer’s venues are currently in use because America is concurrently hosting the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the continent’s foremost international competition.
The US Men’s National Team is in action tonight as part of the tournament, with a 9:15 p.m. ET clash against Saudi Arabia in the second match day of Group D action. It should be the United States’ biggest test of the group stage, as Saudi Arabia is ranked 58th in the world, with Haiti 83rd and Trinidad and Tobago — who the USMNT already beat, 5-0, on the first match day — 100th.
The USMNT is ranked 16th, although just seven of the 26 players from last summer’s Copa America will participate. Several of America’s best players — Fulham left back Antonee Robinson, AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic, and Juventus duo Tim Weah and Weston McKennie — are absent. Robinson is recovering from knee surgery, Weah and McKennie are at the Club World Cup, and Pulisic opted out.
The United States is a -185 favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook, with Saudi Arabia at +550 and a draw at +310.
United States vs. Saudi Arabia prediction, pick
The United States looked mighty convincing in its opening match, thrashing Trinidad and Tobago, 5-0, erasing some of the trauma of failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup after suffering a 2-1 defeat in Trinidad. They managed to amass 21 shots to Trinidad and Tobago’s three, controlling 70% of the possession, and four different players found the score sheet. Malik Tillman, who was on the 2024 Copa America roster, scored a first-half brace, and Max Arfsten recorded a pair of assists in the second half. It was the sort of whole-team performance that the United States desperately needed after falling 4-0 to Switzerland in its final preparation friendly.
The Saudis, meanwhile, were unimpressive in their opener, managing just 43% possession and conceding 13 shots (five on target) to a Haiti team that has hovered between 80th and 90th in the world for the last five years even despite rostering winger Frantzdy Pierrot, a regular starter for Greek Super League side AEK Athens. Still, Haiti should be no match for Saudi Arabia, whose domestic league features some of the world’s most talented players and who upset eventual world champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. The Saudi squad’s market value is more than one and a half times Haiti’s, even with al-Hilal captain Salem Al-Dawsari — their hero in that victory over the Argentines — absent from the squad.
Even with a diminished squad, the United States has the edge in market value and raw talent, as its players have a combined value of 181 million Euros, more than seven times the current Saudi outfit’s. Tillman had 14 goal contributions in the Netherlands’ Eredivisie last season after recording 19 the season before, helping PSV Eindhoven to back-to-back league titles, and he also had five goal contributions in the Champions League. Tyler Adams, who didn’t participate in the opening match, had the highest pass completion percentage on Bournemouth’s roster as the Cherries finished ninth in the Premier League, and Johnny Cardoso ranked sixth in La Liga in interceptions. If Cardoso and Adams play, the USMNT has another level to reach.
With the Saudis’ current crop of attacking options weak — none of them scored even five goals in the Saudi Pro League, despite Ziyad Al-Johani starting 27 league matches — I’ll back Matt Freese and the American back line to hold down the fort. Freese has a solid 74.0% save percentage in all competitions this season as NYCFC sits near the middle of the Eastern Conference standings, and if Mauricio Pochettino opts to start Matt Turner, the most-capped player on the current roster, he made 22 saves from 23 shots on target in the 2021 Gold Cup, which the United States won.
