The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just nine months away, and time is ticking for Mauricio Pochettino and Jesse Marsch to get everything ironed out.
Although the goal remains the same for both the United States and Canada—be ready to go for June 2026 on home soil—the process has been different, and both look to Mexico’s two trophies in 2025 with an ounce of jealousy.
The plans, and the battle between them, are elevated with an American, Marsch, coaching the Canadian side, and the U.S. having the expectations of a so-called “,” and a marquee head coach in Pochettino.
After just over a year in their jobs, Marsch sits at a 12-7-3 record and has hoisted Canada to a record-high FIFA ranking, while Pochettino has a 10-6-1 record and has lost six of eight games against top 30 opposition.
Canada seem to be following a solid plan after back-to-back wins against European opposition in Europe for the first time in history, beating Romania 3-0 and Wales 1-0. The USMNT, meanwhile, continue to spin, with a dispiriting 2–0 loss to South Korea followed up by a 2–0 win over Japan with a vastly improved performance.
But, how do the two stack up, and will both be at their best for 2026?
