US men's national team advancing will bring 'tremendous momentum' to Houston's 2026 World Cup

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- According to FIFA's technical report from Tuesday's World Cup match between the United States and Iran, U.S. captain Tyler Adams covered more than eight miles during his time on the field. That distance was logged mostly by running - during which Adams reached a top speed of more than 21 miles per hour.

Running 21 miles per hour is some serious momentum. And momentum is what soccer in the United States is building - doing so, four years before our country hosts the World Cup.

"It's a huge deal," Chris Canetti, president of Houston's 2026 World Cup bid committee, told ABC13 via Zoom on Wednesday. "I think there would have been a lot of disappointment amongst soccer fans if we had not made it out of the group stage."

In his role, Canetti helped Houston land a bid to host multiple matches in the 2026 World Cup. The Bayou City will be one of 11 U.S. cities to do so.

"When the U.S. does well and advances - it captures the hearts of the country," Canetti added. "That helps the sport grow. We know it's a young team - the second-youngest in all the World Cup. So for these rising stars to get some experience under their belt in this World Cup, and to raise up the ranks a little bit and bring hope that they could go deep in 2026 - it is going to bring a tremendous amount of momentum when it comes to North America."

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