The U.S. men's national team set off on its road to the 2026 World Cup with a meaningless match in a half-full stadium — the type of setting that, over the next two years, will become customary.
The Americans lost to Canada, 2-1, in their first game since crashing out of the 2024 Copa América.
They walked out onto a pristine pitch at Children's Mercy Park, on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon in Kansas City, to find something in the region of 10,000 fans, and likely very few watching on TV.
They stepped into a match billed as a rivalry, but meh.