Former USMNT player Stuart Holden has identified the team’s biggest challenge ahead of the 2026 World Cup as selecting the right 11 players to represent the United States. In an interview with Fox News Digital, Holden expressed concerns about the lack of progress since the 2022 World Cup, where the U.S. was eliminated in the Round of 16. He criticized the U.S. team for not showing any significant improvement despite substantial investment in the sport within the country.