After a weekend that saw the entire roster leaked through several reports, the United States men’s national team unveiled the 26 players that will pull on the Stars and Stripes at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Having trialed upwards of 80 players since taking over as manager, Mauricio Pochettino had plenty of options for his final World Cup roster, which he and the U.S. Soccer federation unveiled at an event in New York City on Tuesday afternoon.
With the USMNT roster now finalized, there is plenty to break down, from Diego Luna’s absence, to Gio Reyna’s inclusion and the form of captain and expected superstar Christian Pulisic. Yet the goal remains the same: to make a deep run in front of home fans, with the quarterfinals or beyond feeling like a realistic target for the group.
Here are the 26 players tasked with leading the U.S. next month in the second-ever men’s World Cup on home soil (1994). However, there could be injury-related changes to the roster up until 24 hours before the first game.
Goalkeepers
- Chris Brady (Chicago Fire)
- Matt Freese (New York City FC)
- Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders
- Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew)
- Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven)
- Alex Freeman (Villarreal)
- Mark McKenzie (Toulouse)
- Tim Ream (Charlotte FC)
- Chris Richards (Crystal Palace)
- Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
- Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati)
- Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
- Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Defensive/Central Midfielders
- Tyler Adams (Bournemouth)
- Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps)
- Weston McKennie (Juventus)
- Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)
Attacking Midfielders/Wingers
- Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United)
- Christian Pulisic (AC Milan)
- Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
- Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
- Tim Weah (Marseille)
- Alejandro Zendejas (Club América)
Strikers
- Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco)
- Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven)
- Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Who Are The Superstars?
Christian Pulisic remains the biggest star for the USMNT, even as he comes into the World Cup in the worst form of his professional career. The forward from Hershey, Pa. ended his season with Italian giants AC Milan without a goal in 19 matches, dating back to 2025, posting just two assists in that spell. With the national team, he hasn’t scored since 2024.
Yet, there isn’t a player that will be more front-facing this summer, with the four-time U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year placed in the spotlight amongst the game’s greatest talents, including the likes of Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and France’s Kylian Mbappé. There will be immense pressure on the American to perform in what will be his second World Cup tournament, after an impressive debut in 2022 Qatar.
Aside from Pulisic, another Italian-based star reigns supreme: versatile midfielder Weston McKennie, a standout talent. Often referred to as a “Swiss army knife,” the Juventus star played nearly every position this season, notching eight goals and nine assists across all competitions and becoming a fixture on one of Europe’s most-followed teams. He’ll be used to the pressure and attention that comes this summer.
As for the others? Keep your eye on Crystal Palace center back Chris Richards, who has established himself as one of the most composed central defenders in the Premier League through the last two seasons and is a key piece of Pochettino’s lineup. Up top, Folarin Balogun comes off a season which saw him score 18 goals across Ligue 1 and UEFA Champions League action this season.
USMNT’S 2026 FIFA World Cup Group D Schedule
| Date | Fixture | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 12 | USMNT v Paraguay | 9 pm ET/6 pm PT | Los Angeles |
| June 19 | USMNT vs. Australia | 3 pm ET/12 pm PT | Seattle |
| June 25 | Türkiye vs. USMNT | 10pm ET/7pm PT | Los Angeles |
Ahead of the World Cup, the USMNT will face Senegal for a friendly on May 31 in Charlotte, before its final send-off match against Germany in Chicago on June 6.
Should the USMNT finish first in Group D play, it would head to Santa Clara, Calif, for the round of 32. A second-place group stage finish would mean a trip to Arlington, Texas, and a third-place finish would see them head to Foxborough, Mass., East Rutherford, N.J. or Kansas City. A fourth-place finish would end the USMNT’s World Cup journey at the earliest point of exit.
