USA World Cup 2026 Squad: Roster, Results & Round of 16

The USA World Cup 2026 squad has gone from opening night to the knockout stage on home soil. Mauricio Pochettino’s 26 player roster won Group D, beat Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32, and now meets Belgium in the round of 16 in Seattle on July 6.

This page tracks the full USMNT player list, every result so far, and what comes next.

Christian Pulisic wears the armband for the host nation’s twelfth World Cup. Pochettino kept his three at the back plan and leaned on ten defenders. Folarin Balogun leads the scoring after a bright group stage, and his late reprieve for the Belgium tie is the story of the week.

United States Quick Facts:

• Country: United States (USMNT, Stars and Stripes)
• Confederation: CONCACAF
• Head Coach: Mauricio Pochettino
• Captain: Christian Pulisic
• Group Finish: Winners of Group D with 6 points
• Round of 32: Beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0
• Round of 16: vs Belgium, July 6, Seattle Stadium, 8:00 PM ET
• FIFA Ranking: 16
• World Cup Appearance: 12th
• Kit Manufacturer: Nike

USA World Cup 2026 Squad: Full 26 Player Roster

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)

The roster blends 13 players back from the 2022 World Cup with 13 making their first World Cup appearance. The average age is 26 years and 332 days, the fifth youngest group the U.S. has sent to a World Cup. Seventeen players are based in Europe across the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, LaLiga and Ligue 1. Tim Ream anchors the defence at 38, while Alex Freeman broke through at 21.

Group D Results and Road to the Knockouts

The USMNT topped Group D with two wins before a dead rubber loss to Türkiye that did not change first place. Folarin Balogun scored three times across the run, and the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina was the country’s first World Cup knockout victory since 2002. Every result so far is below.

Date	Round	Match	Result
June 12	Group D	USA vs Paraguay	Won 4-1
June 19	Group D	USA vs Australia	Won 2-0
June 25	Group D	Türkiye vs USA	Lost 3-2
July 1	Round of 32	USA vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	Won 2-0
July 6	Round of 16	USA vs Belgium, Seattle	8:00 PM ET

Balogun struck twice in the opener against Paraguay, with a Damián Bobadilla own goal and a late Gio Reyna strike completing the 4-1 rout.

Alex Freeman and a Cameron Burgess own goal saw off Australia. With top spot secured, Pochettino rotated against Türkiye and lost 3-2 to a Kaan Ayhan goal in stoppage time. Balogun and Malik Tillman then delivered the knockout win over Bosnia.

Round of 16: USA vs Belgium in Seattle

The United States faces Belgium at Seattle Stadium on July 6, kick off 8:00 PM ET. The winner reaches the quarter-finals. It is a heavyweight test. Belgium beat the U.S. 2-1 in the round of 16 at the 2014 World Cup and won 5-2 in a March 2026 friendly.

The build up has been dominated by Balogun. He was sent off late against Bosnia after a VAR review, but FIFA’s disciplinary committee lifted the one match ban and cleared him to face Belgium, only the second such reprieve in World Cup history.

The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was astonished by the decision. With Balogun available and Pulisic fit again, Pochettino can name his strongest attack.

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, who turned 54 in March 2026, brings the deepest club CV any U.S. coach has held, with stops at Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. He led Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League final and won Ligue 1 with PSG.

As a co-host, the U.S. skipped qualifying, so Pochettino spent 19 months testing players in friendlies, the Concacaf Nations League and the 2025 Gold Cup. His 3-4-2-1 with flying wing backs has paid off, carrying the hosts to the top of Group D and into the last 16. Pulisic and Malik Tillman drift behind a lone striker while Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest push forward from the flanks.

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 debuting at 17 and owns the most caps of anyone in the squad. He joined the Italian giants in 2023 after spells at Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, where he won the 2021 Champions League.

His tournament has been stop start. A left calf injury against Paraguay cut short his opener and kept him out against Australia. He returned for 32 minutes against Türkiye, then started the round of 32 win over Bosnia. A fully fit Pulisic in the knockout rounds is the biggest swing factor for the hosts, whether he scores or unlocks defences for Balogun and Tillman.

A four time U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, Pulisic scored the goal against Iran that sent the U.S. through in 2022. Home crowds in Seattle will lean on him to deliver another decisive moment against Belgium.

Key Players to Watch

Folarin Balogun

Balogun is the team’s top scorer at the World Cup with three goals, a brace against Paraguay and one against Bosnia. The Monaco striker runs the channels, finishes inside the box and links play with quick touches. His reinstatement after the Bosnia red card makes him the man Belgium must contain.

Malik Tillman

Tillman is 24 and joined Bayer Leverkusen after a standout season in the Eredivisie. He scored in the round of 32 win over Bosnia and operates as one of the two number 10s behind the striker. His dribbling and late runs give the U.S. a second creative threat alongside Pulisic.

Tyler Adams

Adams is 27 and anchors midfield at Bournemouth. He captained the U.S. at the 2022 World Cup and remains the only natural defensive midfielder Pochettino selected. His tackling and ball recovery hold the shape together, which makes his fitness vital against a strong Belgium midfield.

What to Expect in the Round of 16

Topping Group D beat most predictions, and the bookmakers now rate the Belgium tie a coin flip. Pochettino’s 3-4-2-1, a fit again Pulisic and a raucous Seattle crowd give the hosts a real chance. The worry is depth in midfield, since a knock to Tyler Adams leaves no like for like cover in front of the back three.

Belgium carries more tournament pedigree and punished the U.S. in March, so this game likely hinges on the first goal and whether Balogun stays sharp. Our pick: a tight contest that the United States can edge at home, with a quarter-final place the reward for a squad that helped build this tournament.

USA World Cup 2026 Squad FAQs

The USA World Cup 2026 squad has already delivered a Group D title and a first World Cup knockout win since 2002. With Pulisic fit again and Balogun cleared to play, the hosts fancy their chances against Belgium in Seattle. A quarter-final place is on the line, and on home soil this group believes it can go further.