The United States’ full 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has reportedly been leaked days before Mauricio Pochettino’s official announcement, and there are already a few major talking points.
While many expected stars made the cut, several surprise omissions have sparked debate among fans. One of the biggest names missing is Diego Luna, with Club América winger Alejandro Zendejas seemingly benefiting from the decision after earning a return to the squad for the first time since September.
Midfield selection also raised eyebrows. Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris were both left out, while injured midfielder Johnny Cardoso also misses the tournament. Instead, Pochettino appears set to rely heavily on Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Cristian Roldan and Sebastian Berhalter in central midfield.
There was better news for Gio Reyna, who reportedly secured his place despite uncertainty surrounding his form and fitness. Defender Chris Richards is also expected to travel after overcoming concerns about a recent ankle injury.
With the World Cup being played on home soil, pressure and expectations around the USMNT are enormous, and Pochettino’s squad choices are already becoming one of the biggest talking points ahead of the tournament.
Probable USMNT 2026 FIFA World Cup roster, All Squad, Full Players List
(First-time World Cup selections indicated with an asterisk, caps and goals listed in parentheses)
Goalkeepers (3):
Chris Brady* (Chicago Fire, 0 caps/0 goals),
Matt Freese* (New York City, 14/0),
Matt Turner (New England Revolution, 53/0)
Defenders (10)
Max Arfsten* (Columbus Crew, 18/1),
Sergiño Dest (PSV, 37/2),
Alex Freeman* (Villarreal, 15/2),
Mark McKenzie* (Toulouse, 27/0),
Tim Ream (Charlotte FC, 80/1),
Chris Richards* (Crystal Palace, 36/3),
Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 52/4),
Miles Robinson* (FC Cincinnati, 38/3),
Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 24/0),
Auston Trusty* (Celtic, 6/0)
Midfielders (4):
Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth, 52/2),
Sebastian Berhalter* (Vancouver Whitecaps, 11/1),
Weston McKennie (Juventus, 64/12),
Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders, 45/0)
Attacking midfielders/wingers (6):
Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United, 57/9),
Christian Pulisic (Milan, 84/32),
Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 36/9),
Malik Tillman* (Bayer Leverkusen, 28/3),
Tim Weah (Marseille, 49/7),
Alejandro Zendejas* (Club América, 13/2)
Strikers (3):
Folarin Balogun* (AS Monaco, 25/8),
Ricardo Pepi* (PSV, 35/13),
Haji Wright (Coventry City, 20/7)
Who does United States play in World Cup?
The United States was drawn into Group D along with the following teams:
Paraguay
Australia
Turkey
Full United States World Cup schedule, date, Times, venues, TV channel, streaming
Friday, June 12, 2026: USA vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles, CA) at 6:00 PM PST / 9:00 PM ET on FOX and Tubi.
Friday, June 19, 2026: USA vs. Australia at Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) at 12:00 PM PST / 3:00 PM ET on FOX.
Thursday, June 25, 2026: Türkiye vs. USA at SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles, CA) at 7:00 PM PST / 10:00 PM ET on FOX.
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