Labor & Employment World Cup 2026: Team USA and the Changing Playbook for Independent Contractors and the Gig Economy

Kickoff: Meet Team USA on Home Soil

The U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) brings energy, determination, and excitement to the World Cup stage. Known for its relentless work ethic, athleticism, and team-first mentality, the U.S. squad has built a reputation for thriving in high-pressure moments and delivering some memorable performances on the sport’s biggest stage. With a roster that blends experienced leaders with a talented new generation of rising stars, the United States team continues to inspire a growing fan base and enters this tournament looking to challenge some of the world’s most established footballing nations.

Soccer’s popularity in the United States has grown dramatically since the country hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup, a tournament that became one of the best-attended World Cups in history and helped accelerate the growth of the sport nationwide. The sport’s rise has also been fueled by the success of the U.S. Women’s National Team, whose four FIFA Women’s World Cup titles have inspired generations of players and helped expand soccer’s reach and cultivate one of the fastest-growing fan bases in American sports.

This year’s tournament has already provided plenty for U.S. fans to celebrate. The team opened its World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay (the highest-scoring World Cup match in the program’s history) and currently sits atop Group D heading into a pivotal second group-stage match against Australia today (June 19).

The Rulebook: Independent Contractors and the Evolving Gig Economy

As Team USA navigates the rules of the game on the pitch, employers operating in the United States are closely watching a different set of rules off the pitch—those governing the classification of independent contractors. The debate over independent contractor classification remains a closely watched labor and employment issue in the United States, particularly as technology continues to expand opportunities for flexible, app-based, and project-driven work. In February 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a new(ish) worker-classification rule that would largely return to the approach adopted during the first Trump administration. The proposal emphasizes two primary factors—worker control over the work and the worker’s opportunity for profit or loss—while relying on secondary considerations only when necessary. , This framework would offer greater predictability than the broader, multi-factor balancing test adopted in 2024 and better align the law with how modern businesses and workers increasingly engage through market-based, flexible work arrangements.¹ More than 16,000 comments were submitted on the proposal, underscoring the significance of the issue across industries.

The proposed rule arrives against a backdrop of significant economic and workforce change. Digital platforms, mobile technology, and data-driven matching tools have transformed how services are sourced and delivered, allowing millions of workers to participate in independent work arrangements while giving businesses access to specialized talent on demand. In its comments submitted to the DOL, WPI emphasized that these developments have increased demand for flexible work and that regulatory frameworks should accommodate, rather than hinder, evolving business models. A streamlined and weighted classification standard would provide greater certainty for both workers and companies while preserving opportunities for legitimate independent contractor relationships.

At the same time, policymakers continue to grapple with one of the central tensions in the gig economy: how to provide worker protections without necessarily converting independent contractors into employees. Although the DOL reaffirmed in May 2025, through a reissued opinion letter, its position that many digital platform workers may properly be classified as independent contractors, those workers generally remain ineligible for benefits traditionally associated with employment, including unemployment insurance, overtime protections, and certain forms of paid leave. This has led to a growing interest in alternative models that seek to bridge the gap between flexibility and economic security.

One of the most notable developments has been the emergence of portable benefits legislation at the state level. These programs allow independent contractors to maintain benefit accounts that remain with them regardless of which company or platform they work for. Contributions may come from workers, hiring entities, or both, and can be used to fund benefits such as health coverage, retirement savings, disability protection, or unemployment-related support. In 2026, states including Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, and Wyoming enacted portable benefits legislation. Notably, these laws generally provide that participation in, or contributions to, a portable benefits account cannot be used as evidence that a worker should be classified as an employee.

On the Global Field: Closing Thoughts

Looking ahead, the United States appears to be moving toward a dual-track approach to independent work: preserving flexible contractor relationships while exploring new mechanisms to provide economic protections outside the traditional employment model. Whether through federal worker-classification reforms, state portable benefits initiatives, or the continued growth of app-based work, the legal landscape is evolving toward a framework that increasingly recognizes independent work as a permanent feature of the modern economy rather than an exception to it.

At the same time, employers with international operations should keep an eye on developments beyond U.S. borders. The International Labour Organization’s recently adopted convention on platform work does not take a position on whether platform workers should be classified as employees or independent contractors. Instead, it requires ratifying countries to classify workers based on the reality of the work performed, rather than contractual labels, and to ensure that platform workers receive workplace rights and protections consistent with their legal status, such as minimum pay. Although the United States is unlikely to ratify the convention, many countries in Europe and other regions may do so, potentially influencing future regulation of platform work across multiple jurisdictions.

For employers that rely on contractor workforces, the message is clear: monitor not only federal rulemaking and state legislative activity in the United States, but also emerging international standards that may shape workforce compliance obligations around the globe in the years ahead.