ATLANTA (Oct. 22, 2026) - The U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team defeated Spain 2-0 in the semifinal match of the 2026 IFCPF World Cup at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center and advance to the World Cup final for the first time in program history in the modern era of the IFCPF tournament.
The Americans delivered the win with second-half goals from Jonah Meyer-Crothers and Cameron DeLillo. Additionally, this victory marks the first U.S. Men’s National Team outdoor World Cup Final in U.S. Soccer Federation history.
The semifinal match began with the American defense being tested early but the team was up to task and defended Spain’s early chances well. The U.S. attack looked to create its own opportunities, but the two sides played to a scoreless draw in the first half.
The U.S. came out of the break determined to keep pushing the attack. In the 33rd minute, Ben Lindau slipped a pass to DeLillo in front of goal and forced the Spanish goalkeeper to come off his line to smother the chance.
A minute later, Meyer-Crothers made a driving run down the right flank and squeezed in a cross from near the end line that DeLillo missed by inches. Meyer-Crothers tried again in the 38th minute with a powerful shot that went just wide of the left post.
The persistence paid off two minutes later when DeLillo earned the team a free kick on the left side near the top of the arc. Meyer-Crothers stepped up and blasted the free kick toward the bottom left corner where Spain’s goalkeeper was able to get a hand on it but could only slightly deflect it. The ball found its way into the net and gave the USA a 1-0 lead in the 40th minute.
Spain looked for an equalizer, but American goalkeeper Sean Boyle came up big in the 53rd minute when he blocked a shot from Jaume Almenar Aviño.
The American attack persisted and the second goal for the USA came in the 59th minute. Meyer-Crothers won the ball and raced down the left side at full speed before cutting back and delivering a pinpoint cross from the end line to DeLillo. The American forward buried the shot to double the lead in the 59th minute and seal the USA’s place in the final.
This was the first time the USA met Spain under the IFCPF banner, which began in 2014. The first-ever meeting between these two teams was at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta.
The U.S. has scored 20 goals and conceded only one goal through five matches in the tournament. DeLillo and Meyer-Crothers have scored six goals each in this tournament so far.
The U.S. will face England for the 2026 IFCPF World Cup title on Saturday, Oct. 24, and the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center. All matches will be broadcast live via the IFCPF YouTube Channel.
The 2026 IFCPF World Cup is the first major international competition held at the National Training Center and the facility’s first ever open to the public. Free reserved tickets available here.
-U.S. MEN'S CEREBRAL PALSY (CP) NATIONAL TEAM MATCH REPORT-
Match: U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team vs. Spain
Date: October 22, 2026
Competition: 2026 IFCPF Men’s World Cup – Semifinal
Venue: Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center; Fayetteville, Ga.
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: 63 degrees
Attendance: 150
| Scoring Summary |
1 |
2 |
F |
| USA |
0 |
2 |
2 |
| ESP |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| USA – Jonah Meyer-Crothers | 40th minute |
| USA – Cameron DeLillo (Jonah Meyer-Crothers) | 59th minute |
Lineups:
USA: 1-Sean Boyle; 4-Wesley Pincince, 5-Jonah Meyer-Crothers; 8-John Sullivan, 9-Cameron DeLillo (6-Jacob Kaplan, 59); 10-Ben Lindau, 13-Josh Brunais (Capt.)
Substitutes: 12-Marc Estrella, 2-Frankie Lowery, 3-Kyle Montgomery, 7-Adam Ballou, 11-Jacob Crumbley, 14-Shea Hammond
Head coach: Stuart Sharp
ESP: 13-Martín Ruiz Diez; 2-Victor Varea Lerena, 3-Youssef Boulam Cibane; 8-Aketza Requena Serres (6-Yerik Martínez García, 49) (Capt.), 10-Jaume Almenar Aviño;11-Alejandro González Clar (12-Yaizen Iriome Carreño Talavera, 60+2), 14-Daniel Ibarra Valdemoros
Substitutes: 1-Borja Pombo Marcos, 4-Javier Cortés Camarmo, 7-Santiago Macía Rovira, 9-José Manuel Bueno Ruiz
Head coach: Aitor Ariño Casoliba
Stats Summary: USA / ESP
Shots: 8 / 3
Shots on Goal: 4 / 2
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 5 / 3
Fouls: 4 / 4
| Misconduct Summary |
| USA – Cameron DeLillo (Caution) | 43rd minute |
| ESP – Victor Varea Lerena (Caution) | 39th minute |
Officials:
Referee: Keith Stroud (ENG)
Assistant Referee 1: D. Gerson (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: K. Holton (USA)
Fourth Official: Margaret Domka (USA)
Fifth Official: Karen Abt (USA)
