Soccer fever in America is as high as ever following the 2026 World Cup’s conclusion.
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As the page turns to the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2030 World Cup co-hosted by six countries, capitalizing on growing soccer in the U.S. is still important.
U.S. men’s national team midfielder Tyler Adams is taking that on by helping build mini-pitches across the country to expand the game.
His latest mini-pitch came to fruition at Sandtown Park in South Fulton, Georgia, as he has partnered with Allstate and the U.S. Soccer Foundation to bring the field to life.
“I think, obviously, coming off the World Cup and the heightened exposure to soccer and kind of seeing that support throughout the World Cup, it was exciting to open our third mini pitch with Allstate and the U.S. Soccer Foundation,” Adams told NBC Local. “We opened one in Philly, we’ve opened one in Detroit, and this was our third one in the project, so it was really, really cool.”
Adams explained that the goal behind the project isn’t just to develop more soccer players, but to help people, especially kids, grow as individuals.
“I think the goal is obviously to give these underserved communities access to the game,” Adams said. “You know, it’s something that I didn’t necessarily have growing up in terms of having a field to always go to, to play pickup with my friends, that sort of thing, and it was fun to do that today.
“What these kids do with the access isn’t necessarily in our hands, but if you give somebody the opportunity to go play, play with their friends, it’s not only going to grow them as just soccer players. This gives them an opportunity to grow, meet friends, grow as people.”
The 2026 World Cup was not Adams’ debut in the prestigious tournament. He was a starter at the 2022 Qatar World Cup when the U.S. fell to the Netherlands 3-1 in the round of 16. He described his perspective on playing in a home World Cup having had prior experience in a different country.
“I knew what to expect in terms of the on the field aspect of it, having played and experienced it in Qatar in 2022,” Adams started. “But everything that came with it off the field, the support, the media, the fans, everything, seeing friends and family in the stands, it surpassed all expectations. So I was super grateful for that opportunity and to share it with the players that we had in our team and the staff that we had in our team.”
The U.S. at the previous World Cup was led by Gregg Berhalter, who is now the head coach of MLS side Chicago Fire. Mauricio Pochettino eventually took over in 2024 as a big get for the federation, and he led the team through the 2025 Gold Cup and the recent World Cup.
Pochettino’s style in the World Cup was vastly different than Berhalter’s, as the ex-Tottenham coach utilized a three-center-back shape while platforming the attackers toward the center of the pitch. Adams elaborated on the Argentine’s tactics and how it benefitted his teammates.
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“He has a structure of the way that he wants to play, but by no means are you pinned to your position, pinned to not finding the game,” Adams said. “You go where the game allows you to go and where you think you have to use your IQ on the field in order to find fluidity in the game.
“And I think when you put a lot of players that are playing at a high level together on the field, you could sense that fluidity at certain moments of the game. I think you saw the flexibility of the team, the versatility of players playing in different positions, but also just a belief in chemistry that we had that we were developing over the past 18 months.”
After a captivating run and Pochettino leading the charge of a new-look USMNT, the 4-1 round of 16 exit to Belgium wasn’t how Adams and Co. wanted to end things. He explained how it stung after the loss having taken care of business against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round prior and how he moved on.
“Against Belgium, I just don’t think we played our game, and I think in the other games comparable to that, we played our game,” Adams started. “We stuck to the process, where it felt like against Belgium, we were just kind of chasing things and it didn’t feel like us. And I don’t think we represented what we did in the past games in the right way.
“You reflect on it, you grow from it. But again, we said to each other going into this tournament that we’re going to win together and whatever comes of it, if we do lose, then we lose together as well. And I think we all suffered from it. But it will be a moment to learn from.”
The U.S. had its share of thrilling moments throughout the five games played. From the 4-1 opening thrashing of Paraguay to Malik Tillman’s two knockout-stage free kicks and a back-and-forth thriller against Turkey, among others, the nation came away with lifelong memories.
Adams said his favorite moment came after the 2-0 group-stage win against Australia in Seattle.
“I think after that game, walking around the field as a team, all 26 players there singing ‘Country Roads,’ looking at the fans singing it as well, I think that’s a moment that sticks with you for the rest of your life because that was a moment that was more than just the soccer aspect of it,” he said.
“It felt like the country was really bought in at that point, and the fans were growing and the support was growing, and that felt special.”
Looking ahead to the next World Cup in 2030, the 27-year-old Adams outlined what’s next for him in the ever-evolving world of soccer.
“Yeah, I’m gonna be old,” Adams joked. “Nah, in football terms, I won’t be. But nowadays, the way that the game is going, I just got to enjoy the moment right now, you know what I mean? See where you’re at. In four years, I mean, I’ll be 31 … I definitely got my eyes set on the next one after that.”
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