USA World Cup 2026 Squad: Final 26-Player List

Mauricio Pochettino has picked the 26 players who will carry the United States into the World Cup on home turf. The head coach unveiled his squad on May 26 in New York City. The roster blends 13 returning 2022 veterans with seven first-time call-ups and ranks as the fifth youngest the U.S. has sent to a World Cup.

The captaincy passes to Christian Pulisic for the host nation’s twelfth World Cup appearance. The Argentine boss kept his back-three blueprint intact and went heavy on defenders with ten picks. The United States World Cup 2026 squad opens against Paraguay in Los Angeles on June 12.

United States Quick Facts:

• Country: United States
• Confederation: CONCACAF
• Nickname: USMNT (Stars and Stripes)
• Head Coach: Mauricio Pochettino
• Captain: Christian Pulisic
• Group: Group D
• Group Opponents: Paraguay, Australia, Türkiye
• First Match: June 12 vs Paraguay, Los Angeles Stadium, 9:00 PM ET
• Last Group Match: June 25 vs Türkiye, Los Angeles Stadium, 10:00 PM ET
• FIFA Ranking: 16 (April 1, 2026)
• World Cup Appearance: 12th
• Kit Manufacturer: Nike

United States Squad List for World Cup 2026

Goalkeepers (3)

• Matt Freese, 27, New York City FC (USA)
• Matt Turner, 31, New England Revolution (USA)
• Chris Brady, 22, Chicago Fire (USA)

Defenders (10)

• Sergiño Dest, 25, PSV (Netherlands)
• Antonee Robinson, 28, Fulham (England)
• Tim Ream, 38, Charlotte FC (USA)
• Chris Richards, 26, Crystal Palace (England)
• Mark McKenzie, 27, Toulouse (France)
• Miles Robinson, 29, FC Cincinnati (USA)
• Alex Freeman, 21, Villarreal (Spain)
• Max Arfsten, 25, Columbus Crew (USA)
• Auston Trusty, 27, Celtic (Scotland)
• Joe Scally, 23, Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany)

Midfielders (6)

• Weston McKennie, 27, Juventus (Italy)
• Tyler Adams, 27, Bournemouth (England)
• Malik Tillman, 24, Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
• Sebastian Berhalter, 25, Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada)
• Cristian Roldan, 31, Seattle Sounders (USA)
• Gio Reyna, 23, Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany)

Forwards (7)

• Christian Pulisic (C), 27, Milan (Italy)
• Folarin Balogun, 24, Monaco (France)
• Ricardo Pepi, 23, PSV (Netherlands)
• Tim Weah, 26, Marseille (France)
• Haji Wright, 28, Coventry City (England)
• Brenden Aaronson, 25, Leeds United (England)
• Alex Zendejas, 28, Club América (Mexico)

Tim Ream stays the steady voice at 38, while Alex Freeman cracks the squad at 21 after qualifying for the Champions League with Villarreal. The average age sits at 26 years and 332 days, the fifth youngest U.S. roster sent to a World Cup. Half the group played in Qatar in 2022, which ties a U.S. record for returnees between back-to-back tournaments.

Seventeen players ply their trade in Europe and the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga and Ligue 1 all show up. Diego Luna’s snub raised eyebrows, while Gio Reyna’s late surge at Borussia Mönchengladbach earned him a ticket. Pochettino went heavy on defenders with ten picks. Tyler Adams is the only natural defensive midfielder in the group.

USMNT World Cup 2026 Fixtures

The United States plays all three Group D matches on the West Coast. Los Angeles Stadium hosts the opener and the finale, with Seattle Stadium in the middle. Local kick-offs are listed in both Eastern Time (ET) and Pacific Time (PT) below. The full tournament schedule is on our schedule page.

Date	Match	Venue	Time (ET)	Time (PT)
June 12	United States vs Paraguay	Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood	9:00 PM	6:00 PM
June 19	United States vs Australia	Seattle Stadium, Seattle	3:00 PM	12:00 PM
June 25	United States vs Türkiye	Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood	10:00 PM	7:00 PM

The top two from each group reach the round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams also go through. That cushion gives co-hosts a real safety net even if one game slips away.

Paraguay came through CONMEBOL’s brutal qualifier and parks defenders deep. Australia made it via Asia’s third round and brings a physical edge. Türkiye snuck in through Europe’s playoff after edging Kosovo 1-0 in Pristina. Each of the three opponents brings a different test.

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino took the U.S. job on September 10, 2024, replacing Gregg Berhalter after the team’s Copa América group-stage exit. The Argentine signed through the 2026 World Cup. He turned 54 in March 2026 and brings the deepest club CV any U.S. coach has ever held. U.S. Soccer confirmed the final 26 names on May 26.

Pochettino played 20 times for Argentina as a centre back between 1999 and 2002, including at the World Cup in South Korea and Japan. His coaching stops include Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. He took Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League final and won Ligue 1 with PSG.

As co-host, the U.S. did not need qualifiers. Pochettino spent 19 months testing players in friendlies, the Concacaf Nations League and the 2025 Gold Cup. March 2026 friendlies against Belgium and Portugal both ended in defeat. Those losses pushed him to firm up his back-three idea.

His preferred shape is a 3-4-2-1 with wing backs flying. He wants the U.S. to press high and dominate possession. Pulisic and Malik Tillman drift behind a lone striker. The formation gives Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest licence to push past the wing.

Star Player: Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic is 27 and plays as a left winger for Milan. He has been the face of U.S. football since making his senior debut at 17. The Pennsylvania native joined the Italian giants in 2023 after stints at Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea.

His 84 caps for the United States are the most of anyone on the squad. He sits on 32 international goals and 19 assists, both leading the team. He ranks fifth on the all-time U.S. scoring list, behind Donovan, Dempsey, Altidore and Wynalda.

Pulisic lifted the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021. At Milan he posted career-high goal totals in his first two seasons in Italy. He has won U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year four times, tied with Landon Donovan for the most ever. The armband passed to him this month for the World Cup.

His goal drought stretches back to December 2025 across 22 club and country games. Pochettino shifted him closer to the box in March to fix the slump. Pulisic still drives U.S. attacks by drawing fouls, switching the play and dropping the killer pass. The team’s ceiling rises and falls with him.

He scored at the 2022 World Cup against Iran, the goal that put the U.S. into the round of 16. Home crowds in Los Angeles and Seattle will lean on him to deliver again. He turns 28 just before the knockout stage begins.

Key Players to Watch

Alex Freeman

Alex Freeman is 21 and plays right back for Villarreal. He moved from Orlando City to LaLiga in January and helped his club push for Champions League qualification. Pochettino picked him for his speed and his fearless one-versus-one defending. He earned every minute of his late call-up.

Freeman has 15 caps and two goals in U.S. colours. He made his debut against Türkiye in 2024 and stood up to Kenan Yıldız on the night. He could start at right wing back if Sergiño Dest is not fully fit. His versatility means he can tuck inside as a third centre back.

Tyler Adams

Tyler Adams is 27 and anchors midfield at Bournemouth. He captained the United States at the 2022 World Cup at age 23. Pochettino’s whole midfield works around him. He is the only natural defensive midfielder Pochettino selected.

He has 52 caps and two goals. Injuries cost him a chunk of the last four years, yet no rival ever pushed him off the team sheet. He brings tackling, ball recovery and short, calm passes. Without him the U.S. shape can collapse.

Folarin Balogun

Folarin Balogun is 24 and leads the line at Monaco. He has scored 45 LaLiga and Ligue 1 goals across his career, third all-time among Americans in a top-five league. The Brooklyn-born striker switched from England’s youth setup in 2023.

His 25 senior caps for the United States have produced eight goals. He runs the channels, finishes inside the box and links play with quick touches. With Pulisic chasing form, Balogun’s finishing could be the spark Pochettino’s attack needs.

Qualification Path & World Cup History

The United States did not play a single qualifier. As one of three co-hosts alongside Canada and Mexico, the spot was confirmed by FIFA on February 14, 2023. That gave Pochettino a long runway to test players in friendlies, Nations League ties and the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup on home soil.

The road to hosting started in June 2018 when FIFA awarded the United bid the tournament. The U.S. holds 11 of the 16 host cities and stages 78 of the 104 matches. The opener kicks off in Mexico City and the final lands at New York New Jersey Stadium.

The United States now heads into its twelfth World Cup, second only to Mexico among CONCACAF nations. The 1930 squad in Uruguay finished third, still the only podium ever for a CONCACAF side. The 2002 squad in South Korea reached the quarter-finals before Germany ended the run.

The 2022 squad in Qatar exited in the round of 16 to the Netherlands, beaten 3-1. Pulisic’s goal against Iran clinched the group exit from Group B. Tyler Adams wore the armband at 23, the youngest U.S. captain in a World Cup knockout match. The 2026 group is the first time the U.S. opens as a co-host at home.

What to Expect & Our Prediction

Pochettino has settled on a 3-4-2-1. Three centre backs build out, two wing backs stretch the field and two number 10s drift behind the striker. Possession comes first, the press comes second and the home crowd pulls them through. Home venue advantage in Los Angeles and Seattle gives them an extra gear.

The single defensive midfielder is the obvious worry. If Tyler Adams gets clipped, no one fills that gap cleanly. Türkiye’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Arda Güler will probe that exact zone. Australia’s direct play and Paraguay’s set pieces also test the back three.

Paraguay parks the bus and counters, so Pulisic and Tillman must crack the lock. Australia leans on second balls and grit, and the midfield duel decides it. Türkiye carries the most attacking flair of the three and may push the U.S. to a draw if both sides are already through.

The best case is first place and a smooth path through the round of 32. The worst case is a stale Pulisic, a Tyler Adams setback and a third-place scramble. Our pick: the United States finish second in Group D and reach the round of 16. Home advantage carries them but the front line still needs to click.

A quarter-final run is on the table if the draw breaks right. Anything beyond would match or top the 1930 semi-final, the country’s all-time best result.

United States World Cup 2026 Squad FAQs

The United States World Cup 2026 squad mixes 2022 holdovers with Pochettino’s hand-picked newcomers. Pulisic carries the armband, Adams holds the centre and Balogun aims for goals. Group D gives the hosts a winnable path on home soil. Anything short of the round of 16 will sting in a tournament they helped build.