As 2026 World Cup matches officially kick off on Thursday, Syracuse soccer fans get plenty reason to dey happy. Di men’s program don reach one milestone wey sweet dem well well.
Former Orange player Miles Robinson go take di pitch as soon as Friday night for Team USA against Paraguay. Dis one mean say for di first time for school history, one former Syracuse soccer player go appear for World Cup match for Team USA.
E no stop dere. Tajon Buchanan, wey also play for Syracuse, go suit up for Team Canada, marking im second World Cup appearance, after 2022.
Weda Robinson or Buchanan play plenty or small, di fact say dem dey di rosters go serve as recruiting tool for Orange head coach Ian McIntyre. Earlier dis spring, McIntyre yarn about Robinson selection: “E be di pinnacle of our sport, and to tink say Miles go compete on dat stage, di biggest stage of all, just dey surreal.”
If any of dis players make standout play or moment, national attention go shift to dia background, wey include time for Syracuse. If one potential recruit, or young soccer player, get influence from Robinson or Buchanan success, dat na win for SU.
Di last decade of Syracuse Orange soccer don be di most successful for school history. Entering im 15th season, McIntyre don guide Syracuse to more NCAA tournament appearances dan any oda coach for program history. Di Orange win di school lone national title for 2022.
Di 2026 Orange go try to rebound after 9-8-3 record and need to replace senior contributor Carlos Zambrano.
Since starting for 1996, di Syracuse women soccer program don qualify for NCAA tournament only two times, with di most recent appearance for 2001. Di ACC don be formidable conference over di last 15 years for Syracuse, especially since 2018. From 2018 to 2024, di Orange only combine for 10 total conference wins. For 2025, Syracuse four total ACC wins be di most for single season for over decade.
Di road go tough for Syracuse to find national success and improvement as seven of di last nine national champions dey play for ACC, including North Carolina, Florida State, and Stanford.
As our own Brady Farkas cover last month, men college soccer fit dey undergo changes soon. Di new rules go call for teams to play matches for two semesters. Instead of fall championship, schools go fit play 25-game season, with max of 18 of dose games for fall semester. Up to 10 of di remaining games fit dey played for spring semester, starting mid-February. Di national championship tournament go dey played for March. Di rule, according to di NCAA, dey added for variety of reasons, including expanded college experience for athletes and recovery time for players.
