Mike Woitalla, Author at Soccer America

World Cup Draw: Dallas and NY/NJ get juiciest matchups; tepid late shows in the Bay Area

by Mike WoitallaDecember 6, 2025January 21, 2026

A day after FIFA held the 2026 World Cup Draw in the Kennedy Center, it revealed the schedule for next summer’s 48-team tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Dallas got the most attractive World Cup 2026 group-stage slate — based on competitiveness and fan atmosphere. The Dallas Cowboys’ Arlington home twice hosts defending champion […]

Soccer America Confidential

After the pomp of the draw: Pochettino describes the pain that shapes his mission to steer the USA to success

by Mike WoitallaDecember 5, 2025December 6, 2025

The USA’s Argentine coach played in the 2002 World Cup, when Argentina infamously disappointed.

Soccer America Confidential

Alan Rothenberg on the World Cup’s most iconic draw: How Las Vegas set a ‘big event’ tone for 1994

by Mike WoitallaDecember 4, 2025December 15, 2025

That a nation without a soccer pro league would pull off such a successful World Cup was far from certain when Rothenberg was put in charge in 1990.

Soccer America Confidential

The nation’s capital’s brief role in World Cup 2026 gets underway

by Mike WoitallaDecember 4, 2025December 4, 2025

My previous familiarity with the Kennedy Center came from televised broadcasts of “The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.”

Soccer America Daily

World Cup draw entertainers include Village People, Kevin Hart and Andrea Bocelli

by Mike WoitallaDecember 2, 2025December 3, 2025

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, the Village People and Robbie Williams with Nicole Scherzinger will perform at Friday’s World Cup Draw in Washington, D.C.

Soccer America Daily

Americans Abroad: Weston McKennie helps Juve reach Coppa Italia quarterfinals

by Mike WoitallaDecember 2, 2025December 2, 2025

Juventus got its first goal in a 2-0 Italian Cup round-of-16 win over Udinese when Weston McKennie’s cross was struck by Matteo Palma struck into his own net.