Alexi Lalas presents the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the film “Summer of 94”
American soccer legend Alexi Lalas joins “Fox & Friends” to discuss the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Lalas highlights the cultural importance of the event and discusses the American team from the 1994 World Cup. Fox Sports announces a $250,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, matched by Fox Corporation, aimed at developing grassroots football.
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Alexi Lalas’ first FIFA World Cup took place in 1994, when the biggest football tournament was also held in the United States.
So, 32 years later, he’s the right person to talk to about what the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) will experience on June 12, when they begin their World Cup against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Lalas, however, didn’t mince his words when discussing his expectations for the USMNT during Fox Sports’ 2026 FIFA World Cup media day in New York.
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Alexis Lalas attends the announcement of the official match schedule for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Washington, DC on December 6, 2025. (Hector Vivas/FIFA/Getty Images)
“They’re a crying mess when it comes to pressure. A bunch of crybabies. If they complain about the pressure of playing in a World Cup, then they’ve already lost,” he told the media present.
If you listen to Lalas’ analysis on any given match day, words like that shouldn’t surprise you. However, Lalas’ direct nature is because he believes this team is blessed with the talent and resources to do something special at home this time around.
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“Let me be a grumpy old man for a while,” he added. “This is a generation that has been given absolutely everything, on and off the field, in terms of resources, opportunities, backgrounds. I don’t think I’m being unrealistic, I don’t think it’s unfair in saying that we should expect more from this group.”
Lalas’ broadcast partner Stu Holden shares the same thoughts regarding the talent this USMNT will possess next month.
“Look, this is a talented group of players playing for some of the biggest clubs we’ve seen in history,” said Holden, who played for the United States in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. “Any day in the Champions League, a Tuesday or a Wednesday, you’re going to see eight or nine American players playing in these matches. We haven’t had that in our history.
Stuart Holden, former professional soccer player and Fox Sports analyst, interviews on the red carpet during the 2026 FIFA World Cup “One Year to Go” event at the Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles, California on June 11, 2025. (Jessica Alcheh/Imagn Images)
“The hardest part to quantify and analyze is how the team will turn out as a host. Do they crumble under pressure, or do they thrive under it? Understand that it’s a huge opportunity and a huge responsibility, of course, but enjoy the moment. I think if the team can find a way to come together as individuals and play as a team, they can do something special.
“Legacy is defined at a World Cup, and this team will always be looked at and judged by what happens this summer.”
Holden went so far as to say it was “absolutely paramount” that the United States win its first Group D match against Paraguay. And winning the World Cup is something Carli Lloyd, who will be among those providing analysis for Fox Sports throughout the tournament, knows all too well.
Lloyd has two Women’s World Cup titles to her name and is one of the country’s most recognizable soccer players. But she was frank about the importance of this tournament for American men — a talented group that has the opportunity to become household names instead of international stars arriving.
Carli Lloyd of the United States celebrates after scoring her team’s fourth goal in the women’s bronze medal match against Australia at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Kashima, Japan, August 5, 2021. (François Nel/Getty Images)
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“I think this group has to do a good job of mastering that pressure, thriving in that pressure, accepting that pressure. You talk to a lot of people here in America, ‘Name a few football players.’ We have the Messis, the Ronaldos – let’s talk about some Americans,” she said. “This is an opportunity for some American players this summer to become stars. It’s life-changing for Alexi at the World Cup, it’s life-changing for me. This is a moment where we can start talking about Weston McKennie. Christian Pulisic is a star, but let’s see other stars. Let’s be proud of this country this summer, and the players need to come out and play well and inspire. We need to have more Americans talking about American players instead of American players overseas. This is the opportunity they have.”
Lalas added: “As a nation we should expect more from these young men in terms of talent. And I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t believe they could deliver. So whatever pressure they feel… it’s tough. There’s nothing better than playing a World Cup than playing a World Cup at home.”
