A new documentary series offering an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s four-year journey to the 2026 World Cup is set to debut. Titled “U.S. Against the World: Four Years With the Men’s National Soccer Team,” the five-episode series will air on HBO and stream on HBO Max, with weekly episodes leading up to the tournament.
One of the central storylines revolves around a pivotal moment from the 2024 Copa América: Tim Weah’s controversial red card against Panama. In the 18th minute, Weah, known for his standout performances, lost his composure off the ball and fouled Panamanian defender Roderick Miller. After a VAR review, the referee issued a straight red card. Despite taking an early lead, the U.S. ultimately lost the match and were eliminated in the group stage on home soil. This defeat marked a turning point in the team’s cycle and led to the dismissal of head coach Gregg Berhalter months later, with Mauricio Pochettino taking over.
The documentary captures the immediate aftermath, including the emotional fallout in the locker room, internal team dynamics, and the coaching transition. Filming began before the 2022 World Cup, with the production team amassing over 600 hours of footage from more than 300 shooting days over four years. The series is condensed into five episodes, with the final episode scheduled to air on June 9, just three days before the U.S. opens the World Cup against Paraguay.
Reflecting on the red card incident, Weah described it as one of the lowest points of his career but expressed hope that the documentary would show the team’s vulnerabilities and failures authentically. He believes that honesty makes the series not just a sports project but a story about growth and pressure.
Unlike traditional sports documentaries, “U.S. Against the World” delves into the players’ personal lives, exploring their relationships and personalities both on and off the pitch. Viewers will see who the locker room joker is and who takes training most seriously, humanizing the athletes beyond their roles on the field.
Director and executive producer Rand Getlin said the goal was to create “the highest-quality sports documentary ever made.” He and producer Janina Pelayo initially entered the soccer world through short documentary projects in 2020, gradually gaining access and securing permission from U.S. Soccer in 2022. The production was described as “building the plane while flying it,” maintaining a small, efficient team to ensure flexibility and trust.
The series also touches on other significant internal events, including roster changes around the 2022 World Cup and a team controversy involving player Giovanni Reyna. However, due to limited runtime, these topics are condensed to maintain narrative coherence.
On the coaching front, the documentary captures the transition from Berhalter to Pochettino. Berhalter, who led a rebuild but failed to achieve further progress after the 2024 Copa América exit, was replaced by the Argentine coach, who brought new ideas but faced mixed results early in his tenure.