Tim Howard is geared up for the World Cup. He knows US soccer like the back of his hand, and now the pundit is enjoying the World Cup coming Stateside from a different lens.
Due to the timing of his career, he didn't play a World Cup on home soil. He first made the USMNT roster after the 1994 World Cup, and he has retired for the 2026 World Cup.
Nevertheless, in a conversation with The American Pitch, Howard recognizes the merit of playing a World Cup in your home country. He pointed at some telling recent examples of how playing at home can elevate a country's profile on the soccer map.
Tim Howard has a crystal clear message for the USMNT before the 2026 World Cup
"The inspiration from playing at home is so real," said Howard. "It's awesome."
"The exciting part is when we look back on the history of the World Cup, and I'm missing some but the 1998 with France winning, 2002 with South Korea having a really good run, 2006 with a young Germany team finishing third.
"Bafana Bafana in South Africa - Okay, they didn't go very far, but if you were there, you saw these minnows rise above and meet challenges.
That said, while pressure remains a privilege, Howard was not shy to mention the other side of that coin. With great power comes great responsibility.
It's equally important for the current USMNT roster to deal with the pressure of hosting.
"The other side of it, if I'm being honest, is how do you manage that?" asked Howard.
"Social media's at an all-time high, you'll finish a game and as soon as you're on the bus, you're going to hear all the good and the bad. How are you dealing with that as a group?"
The USA will naturally face pressure from third parties. Fans on social media, media outlets and inner expectations all point to the USA needing to achieve this year.
That's what comes with being the hosts. Fans, more than anyone, will be looking at the Stars and Stripes to do their talking on the field. We all know they can.
Over 30 years later, 2026 can reflect on 1994
Tim Howard thinks lessons can be learned from the history of the World Cup. Not just from other host nations, but even from the last time the United States hosted the World Cup, in 1994. Back then, there was a seismic shift in how the United States viewed soccer, not just internationally, but locally, too.
"If you go back to the 1994, there was no league within our country. The MLS was birthed from the 1994 World Cup," said Howard.
It's a great point, and it's one that's often overlooked. MLS is now considered as one of the biggest leagues in the world, and it was made possible by the USA hosting the World Cup.
"There was this massive leap, from not having soccer really to create an amazing league was in its infancy, and it's grown ever since into one of the top five leagues in the world."
"In 2026, soccer is amazing, it's well in America, but i do think now because of the infrastructure, because of the money that's here in MLS and in U.S. soccer, they just built a training center which we've never had down in Atlanta
"I think you're going to see another leap, but it's not going to be as grand. It's impossible because we're already in such a good place. But I do think with the money and the eyeballs that are on this World Cup being the biggest World Cup in history, that we're going to see a lot more growth."
Tim Howard has teamed up with Lysol to draw attention to the most sweat-filled items on the field: match-worn gear. Hey, he even featured in their YouTube short.
Soccer parents will know all too well that the smell of victory isn't always sweet. The sweat that comes from hard-fought victories creates odor-causing bacteria. That's exactly where Lysol Laundry Sanitizer can be substituted in.
"I know that after a long match, practice or workout, my clothes stink," said Howard. "Lysol Laundry Sanitizer is my go-to. It kills 99.9% of odor-causing bacteria in laundry. And that's very helpful for a former player like me."
With that in mind, fans have the opportunity to bid for a pair of goalkeeper gloves worn by Tim Howard in the build-up to the 2010 World Cup. Fans, parents, and players can head to Match Worn Shirt to bid on authentic match-worn gear and receive a sample of Lysol Laundry Sanitizer, while supplies last.
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