<P> The United States men 's national soccer team has played in several World Cup finals , with their best result occurring during their first appearance at the 1930 World Cup , when the United States finished in third place . After the 1950 World Cup , in which the United States upset England in group play 1 -- 0 , the U.S. was absent from the finals until 1990 . The United States has participated in every World Cup since 1990 until they failed to qualify for the 2018 competition after a loss to Trinidad and Tobago in 2017 . </P>
<P> The United States men 's national soccer team has played in several World Cup finals , with their best result occurring during their first appearance at the 1930 World Cup , when the United States finished in third place . After the 1950 World Cup , in which the United States upset England in group play 1 -- 0 , the U.S. was absent from the finals until 1990 . The United States has participated in every World Cup since 1990 until they failed to qualify for the 2018 competition after a loss to Trinidad and Tobago in 2017 . </P>
when was the last time usa did not make the world cup
when was the last time usa did not make the world cup
1990
1990