by: Amy Hybels | CBS 42
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, kicks off Thursday.
This year’s tournament has expanded to include a total 48 teams playing in 16 stadiums in 104 matches. The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team hits the pitch in California on Friday.
CBS 42 spoke with the father of defender Chris Richards, a Birmingham native who made the 26-man roster, about his plans to fly to California to see his son play against Paraguay on Friday.
Richards was in the Magic City in April to help inaugurate the first FIFA Arena in the country created in partnership with the U.S. Soccer Federation and Birmingham Legion FC.
Richards is a defender for the USMNT. He’s also a part owner of Birmingham Legion FC.
Birmingham Legion FC head coach Jay Heaps explained what makes Richards such a great player.
“He reads the game really well,” Heaps said. “He’s a defender, so he reads where the ball is coming in from, how to make the right plays. But then if he has to, he has such great athleticism. He can close down space. He can jump. He’s fast.”
While Richards suffered an ankle injury in May, he participated in practice this week. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino will have the final say on his status for Friday’s game.
“I feel good. I feel really good,” Richards said during a press conference Wednesday. “I’m not the coach, so I cannot say if I’m playing Friday or not, but me personally, I would love to be playing in this opening game.”
His father, Ken Richards, plans to meet up with his wife and two other children in California to cheer on his son.
“We support each other, and this is obviously the biggest event of his lifetime,” Richards said. “It doesn’t get any bigger than this. So, yeah, we’re all going to be there.”
Richards said his son’s love of the game started at a young age.
“At the age of 6, he told us,” Richards said. “He said he wanted to be a professional soccer player and that he wanted to play in the World Cup and represent his country, so obviously as a parent, all we can do is support him.”
Chris Richards, who now plays in the Premier League, started playing soccer for Homewood Parks and Recreation. His father said he wants to help other young people become involved in the sport.
“Soccer is pretty expensive to play, and he’s trying kind of, from a grassroots level, introduce it more to inner city kids, who normally would not have access to the game,” Richards said.
He hopes the U.S. hosting so many matches will help increase participation in the sport. The contest against Paraguay kicks off at 8 p.m. central time Friday at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California.
