Why USMNT kicks the ball out of bounds on kickoffs

The United States may not do it every time, but there's a clear tactic being used on kickoffs by the USMNT that could show up at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

When the U.S. takes a kickoff, it launches the ball directly down to the other end of the field, out of bounds over the sideline. It's no accident.

It's a strategy made popular by the world powerhouse PSG in France.

Now, it appears Team USA manager Mauricio Pochettino has brought it to the USMNT.

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Why does the USMNT kick the ball out of bounds on kickoffs?

This is all about field position.

Kicking the ball out of bounds down in a far corner allows the United States to set up its defensive pressure.

There's actually some difficulty in a kickoff situation when you just play the ball back, because it almost immediately invites pressure from the team that didn't take the kickoff.

And with attacking players not down the pitch right away on a kickoff, there isn't often an edge to be had moving forward. The entire defense is behind the ball.

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Kicking the ball deep and off the pitch forces the opposition to go the length of the field, and there's often a better chance to create a positive turnover for the team kicking off by first going down there.

It is, in a sense, a positive turnover.

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