For the U.S. men's national team's Europe-based contingent, preparations for the next set of World Cup qualifiers are still a couple of weeks away. But for others, that process begins Friday in Phoenix.
U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter has called on 19 MLS-based players to get camp started before three vital qualifiers that will go a long way toward determining whether the U.S. will have to sweat out the final steps on the road to Qatar or if its 2022 World Cup ticket will be all but in hand. Not all will proceed to the final stages of camp, when those whose clubs are based abroad will be released to join.