The US men are back in the World Cup after eight excruciatingly long years.
The catastrophic qualifying campaign that left them on the outs in 2018 is ancient history. Manager Gregg Berhalter has a fresh crop of young talent hoping to make some noise in Qatar.
Here’s a look at the World Cup Group B futures odds as the USMNT prepares to battle their way out of the highest-ranked group in the tournament.
USA World Cup Group B Odds
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook.
It’s easy to write Qatar off as a warmup round for the US men’s national soccer team (USMNT). The 2026 World Cup will be played in North America, and in four years, the raw young talent of the US squad will have firmly matured into its prime.
And while there’s no doubt that this team should be closer to championship material by then, many feel that failing to advance to at least the knockout round in Qatar would be a devastating setback for the up-and-coming squad.
Make no mistake; this team is bursting with talent. But unfortunately, according to FIFA’s ranking system, the US has drawn a group (B) that rates the highest in the tournament.
England is expected to cruise as the clear favorite of the group, while Wales and Iran are both significant threats.
US Group B Schedule (all times Eastern)
- Wales – Nov. 21, 2 p.m.
- England – Nov. 25, 2 p.m.
- Iran – Nov. 29, 2 p.m.
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Group B – USA To Qualify
The US men kick off their 11th World Cup appearance on Monday, Nov. 21, against a Wales team that hasn’t been to a World Cup since 1958. The Americans are early favorites in this one and will likely need at least a draw to put them in a position to advance.
The men will be heavy underdogs in their next match against England, so securing a minimum of one point against the Welsh is almost a necessity.
USA Exact Points in Group
You can take your betting a step further if you can nail the number of points the USMNT will finish the group stage with. In World Cup scoring, teams receive three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss.
- 4 points +270
- 3 points +380
- 6 points +550
- 1 point +600
- 2 points +700
- 5 points +1000
USA Stage of Elimination
The sportsbooks don’t have the US getting out of Group B. But if you have other ideas, you can get a decent return right now if the men make it to the round of 16, with the odds only getting longer from there.
USA Total Tournament Goals
The US made it to the knockout round of the 2014 World Cup after going 1-1-1 against a tough Group G that featured Portugal, Germany, and Ghana.
They scored four goals in the group stage before adding one more in a 2-1 loss to Germany in the knockouts. Goals have been hard to come by lately for the squad, which was shut out in its last two friendlies against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
- Over 2.5 -260
- Over 3.5 -112
- Over 4.5 +170
- Over 5.5 +280
- Over 6.5 +440
- Over 7.5 +730
USA Golden Boot Odds
If you’re betting on a US player to win the Golden Boot, you better plan on them making it out of Group B. Only one player in the history of the World Cup has won the GB without advancing past the group stage.
- Christian Pulisic +10,000
- Timothy Weah +12,500
- Giovanni Reyna +15,000
- Brenden Aaronson +25,000
Check the current 2022 World Cup Golden Boot odds.
USA Key Players
Gregg Berhalter recently streamlined his squad to 26 players – the maximum a team can carry at the World Cup. The US will need a few players to catch fire if they have plans to go deep in The Beautiful Game’s biggest tournament.
Christian Pulisic – Forward
Christian Pulisic is considered by many to be the US’s brightest soccer star. The 24-year-old plays his club soccer in the Premier League for Chelsea and will make his first World Cup appearance.
Pulisic heads into the tournament with 21 career national team goals, tying him for 7th all-time with Bruce Murray. His decorated career includes three US Male Soccer Player of the Year awards in 2017, 2019, and 2021.
Tyler Adams – Midfielder
Adams led all US players with 12 starts in the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign while captaining the team seven times. He makes the midfield tick, and the NY native will have a lot of ground to cover against some speedy opponents in Group B. The Leeds United star will make his first WC appearance and be counted on as a stable force up the middle.
Tim Weah – Forward
Many expect the 2022 World Cup to be Tim Weah’s coming-out party. The fancy-dribbling forward comes from a family of soccer royalty. His father, George Weah, is considered one of the best African footballers ever to lace them up and was endowed with the 1995 Ballon d’Or award – the first African to ever achieve the honor.
The US will need Weah to provide some scoring punch in Qatar.
World Cup Roster
The USMNT’s 26-player squad is the second-youngest WC roster, with an average age of 25 years and 175 days.
Goalkeepers
Ethan Horvath (Luton Town), Sean Johnson (NYCFC), Matt Turner (Arsenal)
Defenders
Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach), DeAndre Yedlin (Inter Miami), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic), Sergiño Dest (AC Milan), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC), Tim Ream (Fulham),
Midfielders
Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Yunus Musah (Valencia), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Kellyn Acosta (LAFC), Tyler Adams (Leeds United)
Forwards
Christian Pulisic (Chelsea), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund), Josh Sargent (Norwich City), Tim Weah (Lille), Haji Wright (Antalyaspor)Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders)
