Ahead of the World Cup, pressure to win and grow American soccer is on Tim Ream's mind

Playing for Charlotte FC, the Major League Soccer team in Charlotte, Tim Ream is hoping to make his second World Cup roster for the U.S. Men's National Team. Courtesy of Charlotte FC hide caption toggle caption Courtesy of Charlotte FC There's a lot riding on the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer – especially for the American co-hosts. There's the hope that the U.S. Men's National Team will not just play well, but make a deep run in the tournament. Then there's the hope that the tournament – which is being hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico – will light a fuse and inspire a new generation of fans. Despite growing stubbornly on the backs of the success of the women's national team, many have questioned the viability of a long-term American soccer audience. No one understands this more than Tim Ream. He's been a steady presence on defense at his Major League Soccer club, Charlotte FC. And if he's selected tomorrow in the final, 26-man roster for the U.S. Men's National Team, he'll have a chance to quell the naysayers, who say America isn't a soccer country, or that the men's team will always fall short. Tim Ream, playing for Charlotte FC, the Major League Soccer team in Charlotte, sees the 2026 World Cup as important to inspire a new generation of soccer fans in the U.S. hide caption toggle caption "I have no doubt in my mind that we can win in a knockout stage game. …