USMNT World Cup History & Results
Soccer history & records · Last updated: May 20, 2026
📊 All-time World Cup summary
The USMNT has appeared in 11 World Cups dating back to the first ever tournament in 1930. Their 12th appearance comes in 2026 as co-hosts.
12
Appearances
9
All-time wins
8
All-time draws
20
All-time losses
40
Goals scored
3rd
Best finish (1930)
🏆 Tournament results — all time
| Year | Host | Stage reached | W | D | L | GF | GA | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | Uruguay | 3rd place | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | Best ever finish |
| 1934 | Italy | Round of 16 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Eliminated by Italy |
| 1950 | Brazil | Group stage | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | Shocked England 1–0 |
| 1954–1986 — Did not qualify (40-year absence) | ||||||||
| 1990 | Italy | Group stage | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | Return after 40 years |
| 1994 | USA 🏠 | Quarterfinal | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Home World Cup |
| 1998 | France | Group stage | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | Worst modern campaign |
| 2002 | Korea/Japan | Semifinal | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 6 | Best modern result |
| 2006 | Germany | Group stage | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | Failed to advance |
| 2010 | South Africa | Round of 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | Donovan's famous goal |
| 2014 | Brazil | Round of 16 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | Group of Death |
| 2018 | Russia | Did not qualify | — | — | — | — | — | Lost to Trinidad |
| 2022 | Qatar | Round of 16 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | Lost to Netherlands |
| 2026 | USA/CAN/MEX 🏠 | In progress | — | — | — | — | — | Co-hosts |
⚽ All-time World Cup top scorers
1
Landon Donovan
2002 · 2006 · 2010
5 goals
2
Brian McBride
1998 · 2002 · 2006
5 goals
3
Clint Dempsey
2006 · 2010 · 2014
4 goals
4
Bert Patenaude
1930
4 goals
5
Eric Wynalda
1990 · 1994 · 1998
2 goals
6
Christian Pulisic
2022 · 2026
1+ goals
🌟 All-time USMNT top scorers (all competitions)
| Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Active years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Landon Donovan | 57 | 156 | 2000–2014 |
| =1 | Clint Dempsey | 57 | 141 | 2004–2017 |
| 3 | Brian McBride | 30 | 95 | 1993–2006 |
| 4 | Joe-Max Moore | 24 | 100 | 1992–2002 |
| 5 | Eric Wynalda | 34 | 106 | 1990–2000 |
| Active | Christian Pulisic | *Active | *Active | 2016–present |
⭐ Historic moments
| Year | Moment | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1930 | 3rd place finish | Still the best finish ever. USA beat Paraguay and Belgium before losing to Argentina in the semis. |
| 1950 | 1–0 win vs England | One of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Joe Gaetjens scored the only goal. |
| 2002 | Quarterfinal run | Beat Portugal and Mexico. Lost narrowly to Germany. Best modern tournament by far. |
| 2010 | Donovan's 91st minute goal | Stoppage time goal vs Algeria to top the group. One of the most iconic USMNT moments ever. |
| 2014 | Group of Death survival | Survived a group with Germany, Portugal, and Ghana to reach the Round of 16. |
All records verified through FIFA and US Soccer official sources. Active player statistics updated periodically. 2026 World Cup results added as the tournament progresses. See an error? Let us know →