As sports fans shift their attention to World Cup action, where do the programs in Central New York stand?
As the 2026 World Cup matches officially get underway on Thursday, Syracuse soccer fans are undoubtedly excited about the men's program reaching a positive milestone this summer.
As we noted earlier this spring, former Orange player Miles Robinson is scheduled to take the pitch as soon as Friday night for Team USA in their match against Paraguay. Robinson's appearance will mark the first time in school history that a former Syracuse soccer player has appeared in a World Cup match for Team USA.
Furthermore, former SU standout Tajon Buchanan will suit up for Team Canada, marking his second appearance in the event (also 2022).
Miles Robinson's and Tajon Buchanan's influence on program
No matter how much Robinson or Buchanan play, their inclusions on their respective rosters are likely to be used as recruiting tool for Orange head coach Ian McIntyre. McIntyre said this in regards to Robinson's selection earlier this spring.
"It's the pinnacle of our sport, and to think about Miles competing on that stage, the biggest stage of all, is just surreal."
Should either player have a standout play or moment, the national attention will likely shift towards their backgrounds, which features time in Syracuse. If a potential recruit, or a young soccer player, is influenced by the success of Robinson or Buchanan, then that's a win for SU.
Information on how to watch both players is featured here.
State of Syracuse men's soccer program
The last decade of Syracuse Orange soccer has been the most successful in school history. Entering his 15th season, McIntyre has guided Syracuse to more NCAA tournament appearances than any other coach in program history. The Orange won the school's lone national title in 2022.
The 2026 Orange will look to rebound after a 9-8-3 record and need to replace senior contributor Carlos Zambrano.
State of Syracuse women's soccer program
Since starting in 1996, the Syracuse women's soccer program has qualified for the NCAA tournament just twice, with the most recent appearance coming in 2001. The ACC has proven to a formidable conference over the last 15 years for Syracuse, and in particular since 2018. From 2018-24, the Orange have only combined for 10 total conference wins.
In 2025, Syracuse's four total ACC wins were the most in a single season in over a decade. The road will be tough for Syracuse to find national success and improvement as seven of the last nine national champions play in the ACC (North Carolina, Florida State and Stanford).
Changes coming to the college soccer season
As our own Brady Farkas covered last month, men's college soccer could be undergoing changes in the near future. Things still need to be approved later this summer, but the potential changes are as follows:
The new rules will call for teams to play matches in two semesters. Rather than a fall championship, schools will be able to play a 25-game season, with a max of 18 of those games occurring in the fall semester. Up to 10 of the remaining games can be played in the spring semester, beginning in mid-February. The national championship tournament will be played in March. The rule, according to the NCAA, is being added for a variety of reasons, including an expanded college experience for athletes and recovery time for the players.
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