World Cup 2026: USA 94 and a tale of two penalties episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 2, 2026 · 55 MIN

World Cup 2026: USA 94 and a tale of two penalties

from More than the Score · host BBC World Service

The United States have reached the round of 16 at their home World Cup just as they did the last time they hosted the competition in 1994. The USA did so by beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in Santa Clara. More than the Score's Lee James discusses this year's run with Kerith Gabriel, sports editor for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Lee also reflects on the World Cup 32 years ago with those involved in the big moments, including the scorer of the USA's first goal Eric Wynalda, Sunday Oliseh from debutants Nigeria and the Republic of Ireland's goalscorer Ray Houghton. We also hear from the man who ran the show, the former head of US Soccer and the organising committee, Alan Rothenberg. He reveals how they turned a sceptical public and football world around to produce what became the highest attended and most lucrative World Cup. This is a tale of two missed penalties and so much that happened in-between, as World Cup 94 became the American dream.More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jul 2, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

World Cup 2026: USA 94 and a tale of two penalties

0:00 55:43

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of More than the Score?

This episode is 55 minutes long.

When was this More than the Score episode published?

This episode was published on July 2, 2026.

Can I download this More than the Score episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!