United States national team coach Bruce Arena believes the U.S. can win the 2026 World Cup if it is selected by FIFA to co-host the tournament alongside North American neighbors Canada and Mexico.

The three nations formally announced on Monday their decision to jointly bid for the competition. A final decision from FIFA could come as early as next year. If the pitch is successful, it would mark the first time the region has staged the world's biggest sporting event since the U.S. hosted it in 1994.

And Arena says the U.S. will be in a greater position to compete to actually win the 2026 World Cup than the last time it was played on American soil.

"In 1994, I think the U.S. was looked at as this emerging frontier in the game, and FIFA wanted to bring the U.S into the world's game," Arena said Thursday during a conference call with reporters.

"In 2026 we're going to be fully emerged into the game and a big player. I think 2026 will be the time where we're going to start talking about winning a World Cup. It wasn't going to be in 1994, it wasn't going to be in 2010. But 2026 could be our time."

Arena, 65, is in his second stint at the U.S. helm. He led the American squad to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals -- its best finish since the inaugural event in 1930 -- during an eight-year run that ended after the 2006 event in Germany.

Bruce Arena has a strong pedigree in World Cup, previously leading the U.S. to the 2002 quarterfinals. Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

He was rehired late last year after the U.S. lost their first two matches of the final round of qualifying for next summer's World Cup in Russia, which put the Americans' participation in doubt.

The U.S. got its campaign back on track last month by beating Honduras and drawing against Panama. But they still sit fourth, outside the three automatic berths from CONCACAF, which includes teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean.

But Arena said the continued improvement of MLS and the American player should help the U.S. reach a new level in the years to come, and that playing at home would also enable them to stand toe-to-toe with the sport's elite nations by the middle of the next decade.

"[Being] one of the host countries is an advantage, and think about where we're going to be in nine more years," Arena said.

"Nine more years in our league, nine more years of players developing all over the world and then playing a World Cup in our country. I think that we're going to be positioned to be a big player in 2026."

Arena also told reporters that U.S. Soccer got in touch with 18-year-old midfielder Christian Pulisic immediately following Tuesday's attack on Dortmund's team bus that left BVB defender Mark Bartra with injuries to his wrist and arm.

"We've had contact with him," Arena said of Pulisic. "I actually left him a message today. I haven't personally spoken to him but we had contact with him through texts during the incident, after the incident.

"He's OK. I'm sure -- I don't know the exact circumstances around the bombs going off and all of that -- but I'm sure it was very hectic, very scary and I'm sure it disrupted the team in a lot of ways."

Christian Pulisic (right of flare) waits on the side of the road after Dortmund's bus was attacked on Tuesday. AP Photo/Martin Meissner

Dortmund's bus was rocked by multiple explosions as it headed to its home stadium for the first leg of its Champions League quarterfinal against Monaco, forcing the match to be postponed until Wednesday. A German police officer was also hurt during the incident.

With Bartra unavailable -- the Spaniard required surgery and has been ruled out for four weeks -- the visitors won 3-2. Hershey, Pennsylvania-product Pulisic played 45 minutes after entering at halftime with the hosts trailing 2-0, helping a listless-looking Dortmund get back into the two-legged series.

Afterward, several Dortmund players admitted that it was difficult to play the game given the gravity of what had happened the day before. BVB manager Thomas Tuchel blasted UEFA for rescheduling the contest less for than 24-hours after a traumatic -- but thankfully not tragic -- event that could have a lasting emotional impact on those involved.

"Hopefully in time all those people recover," Arena said. "It's unfortunate that they lost a player [to injury] but they're all OK. Christian's fine."