In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, we explore one of the biggest questions facing U.S. Soccer: Can Mauricio Pochettino lead the U.S. Men’s National Team to World Cup glory on home soil in 2026? Joining the discussion are two industry experts—Stewart Mairs, former Technical Director of D.C. United, and Daniel Hall, Executive Chairman of Dagenham & Redbridge FC and co-owner of Campobasso FC (Serie C) and Brooklyn FC (USL Championship + USL Super League).

Together, we delve into Pochettino's impact on U.S. Soccer, his unique challenges as a first-time international manager, and the roadblocks the U.S. team will face leading up to 2026, including a lack of competitive matches. We also discuss key topics like Pochettino's salary, funded in part by a $6 million donation from Ken Griffin, and the collaboration between MLS and U.S. Soccer to strengthen the national team.

Tune in as Stewart and Daniel offer insights from their careers in the soccer world and their predictions on what it will take for the U.S. to make history in 2026.

If you enjoyed the episode, feel free to like, comment, share, or subscribe to stay tuned for future episodes!

🎙️ More Insider's Lounge Content: https://linktr.ee/theinsiderslounge

Chapters:

00:00 Intro
03:17 Initial Reactions
07:06 Negotiations & Hiring Process
12:27 Pochettino’s Impact on US Squad
19:25 Commercial Impact
21:30 Timing & Competition Challenges
27:05 First-Time International Manager
30:12 Salary & Ken Griffin Donation
32:25 USWNT Influence
35:31 MLS & US Soccer
40:47 An Argentinian Game-Changer?
43:35 US Soccer Takeover
48:23 Winning the World Cup
53:50 Capitalizing on WC Investment
55:40 USMNT Predictions
58:15 Outro

#pochettino #ussoccer #podcast