The United States have once again reached the round of 16 at a home World Cup, mirroring their run at the 1994 tournament they also hosted — a feat that has sparked both celebration and deep reflection across American football circles.

USA sealed their place in the knockout stage with a 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, drawing instant comparisons to the class of 1994, who navigated a similarly electric atmosphere on home soil 32 years ago.

A tale of two penalties

BBC World Service podcast More than the Score explores the parallel between these two defining World Cup moments, framing the story as a tale of two missed penalties and everything that unfolded in between.

Host Lee James speaks with Kerith Gabriel, Sports editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer, to examine what this year's run means for the sport in the United States and how it compares to the watershed moment of FIFA World Cup 1994.

The episode also features some of the most compelling voices from that 1994 summer. Eric Wynalda, the scorer of USA's first goal at that tournament, reflects on what it felt like to lead the charge in front of a nation just discovering football. Sunday Oliseh, who represented Nigeria on their World Cup debut that year, offers a perspective from one of Africa's most storied national teams taking its first steps on the biggest stage.

Ray Houghton, who netted for the Republic of Ireland in 1994, adds another layer to the storytelling, recalling a competition that captivated even the most unlikely footballing nations.

The man who made it happen

Perhaps the most revealing contribution comes from Alan Rothenberg, the former head of US Soccer and the 1994 organising committee. Rothenberg describes how he and his team converted a doubtful public and a sceptical global football community into believers — delivering what became the highest-attended and most financially successful World Cup in history at that point.

His account speaks directly to the scale of what was achieved: a country with no top-flight professional league at the time hosting a tournament that shattered records and helped birth Major League Soccer.

48 teams, three nations

FIFA World Cup 2026 is itself a landmark edition, with 48 teams competing across Mexico, the United States, and Canada — the most expansive tournament ever staged. More than the Score promises to go beyond the scorelines, spotlighting new teams, standout stars, and the fan cultures reshaping the tournament in ways raw statistics cannot capture.

New episodes of More than the Score are available on BBC World Service and wherever BBC podcasts are found.