With great pressure comes great responsibility and the United States may need some superhero performances to justify the hopes of an expectant nation.
The USMNT are World Cup regulars but have not reached the quarter-finals since 2002.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino was appointed in September 2024 and given the brief to guide the team as deep as possible on home soil before heading off to pastures new.
The draw could have been kinder in those endeavours, though. Opening opponents Paraguay will embrace the spoiling role by sitting deep and hanging on for as long as they can in an effort to frustrate both the co-hosts and their enthusiastic supporters, before trying their luck on the break.
Australia will also be disciplined but may show more attacking ambition in Seattle. However, a draw in the USA's second game, the outcome in their middle match on the last five occasions they have featured at a World Cup, is hardly out of the question.
Pochettino's side could then find themselves in an awkward position heading into their final Group D fixture against Turkey.
The Turks have waited 24 years to return to the global stage and their talent is obvious.
Emulating the class of 2002's run to the semi-finals will probably prove beyond a side who crashed out in the group stage at the 2016 and 2020 European Championships. However, a swashbuckling run to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 felt like a turning point and, barring a 6-0 defeat to Spain, Turkey were decent in qualifying and displayed a different side of their game as they ground out 1-0 play-off wins over Romania and Kosovo.
Arda Guler and Hakan Calhanoglu are quality operators in the middle of the park and Kerem Akturkoglu's conversion from a winger into a pressing striker has provided head coach Vincenzo Montella with a solution to a problem position.
Akturkoglu's energy allows him to lead the press, which is vital to a Turkish team who thrive on tempo.
Drawn in a relatively weak section, Turkey have the individual quality to break down Australia and Paraguay in their opening two games before a potential free-hit against the USA in their final Group D fixture.
Australia reached the last 16 in 2022, when they gave winners Argentina a scare. Former Crystal Palace defender Tony Popovic took over in the middle of qualifying and has attempted to make them more expansive.
A lack of recognised attacking quality has plagued the Socceroos since the days of Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka, but Paraguay's defensive record in qualifying makes them genuine candidates to cause problems.
They conceded only 10 times in the infamously arduous South American qualifying process. However, despite beating Argentina and Brazil, they also netted just 14 times in their 18 fixtures.
Even with flair players such as Julio Enciso and Miguel Almiron at his disposal, manager Gustavo Alfaro will implore his side to defend first and ask questions of the opposition later.
In a 48-team World Cup, that may prove enough to make the knockout rounds.