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Sports Illustrated

Sport

Ben Steiner

Predicting the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup Roster One Month From Roster Reveal

USMNT Mauricio Pochettino Christian Pulisic World Cup Matt Turner United States Antonee Robinson Chris Richards Matt Freese PSV

If the U.S. men’s national team hopes to have a Cinderella run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, then it’s almost time to choose the ball gown and glass slippers, with a roster announcement looming for May 26 in New York City.

While Mauricio Pochettino has experimented with over 80 players since taking over the managerial role in October of 2024, the group has slowly been narrowed down to a core field. Yet, he will need to narrow it down further to just 26 for the final roster, despite inconsistent form throughout his tenure.

With the team’s latest results—and the last before the roster is announced—being a 5–2 defeat to Belgium and 2–0 loss to Portugal in March, recent history doesn’t paint much of a positive picture for the USMNT. However, with standout form and stars back from injury, a dream World Cup run could still be a realistic possibility.

Before Pochettino names his roster to take on a Group D schedule of Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye, Sports Illustrated predicts the 26 players that will make the Argentine boss’s roster.

Rules of Engagement

Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT faces tough roster decisions. | Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Formation: 4-2-3-1
Allotted Players: 26

After jumping between a 3-4-3, 5-4-1, 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 formation in recent windows, it has become clear that Pochettino wants his end product to be in a 4-2-3-1, the same formation he fielded in the last game against Portugal.

While the player pool has options to adapt, and each opponent will demand a different approach at the World Cup, we are going to base our prediction on the 4-2-3-1.

Only 26 players can make the cut, and Pochettino has said he won’t include alternates. We landed on choices based on positional needs, recent performances and talent. All player names have been listed alphabetically.

Goalkeepers

Matt Turner could be nearing a starting role despite serving as the backup for most of the past year. | Johnnie Izquierdo/USSF/Getty Images

Player	Team	Caps
Chris Brady	Chicago Fire	0
Matt Freese	New York City FC	13
Matt Turner	New England Revolution	53

New York City FC’s Matt Freese no doubt still has the inside track on the starting role between the sticks after backstopping the USMNT in every match throughout 2025. Yet, in the most recent window, he split games with the New England Revolution’s Matt Turner, who could be nearing the starting role.

While USMNT form matters more to Pochettino than club performance, Turner’s standout season in New England has been undeniable, rekindling his shot-stopping abilities and giving an often underdog team a fighting chance in nearly every game. Freese, meanwhile, has allowed more than two goals twice this season, including four in a recent 4–4 draw with FC Cincinnati.

As for the third goalkeeper spot, it’s a race between Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte and Chicago Fire FC’s Chris Brady. The latter, just 21 years old, gets the nod from us, gaining World Cup experience ahead of potentially becoming USMNT’s first choice in the future.

Center Backs

Player	Team	Caps
Mark McKenzie	Toulouse	26
Tim Ream	Charlotte FC	80
Chris Richards	Crystal Palace	35
Miles Robinson	FC Cincinnati	38
Auston Trusty	Celtic FC	5

There is no doubt that Chris Richards is the top choice center back for the U.S. heading into the World Cup, having established himself as a defensive cornerstone at the international level and in the Premier League with Crystal Palace.

While a knee injury held him out of the rather disastrous performance against Belgium, he helped soldify the USMNT’s backline against Portugal and was a standout at last summer’s Concacaf Gold Cup. Should the USMNT use a back-three, expect him in the center. Whereas in a back-four setup, Richards would line up on the right side of the central defensive partnership.

Alongside him, expect Charlotte FC’s Tim Ream as a likely lock and potential starter, with Mark McKenzie, Miles Robinson and Auston Trusty battling for the third center back role.

Alex Freeman, traditionally a right back, could also play a more central role, should the team stick with a back-three formation.

Wingbacks/Fullbacks

Player	Team	Caps
Max Arfsten	Columbus Crew	17
Sergiño Dest	PSV Eindhoven	37
Alex Freeman	Orlando City	14
Antonee Robinson	Fulham	51

The fullback positions are likely locked in for the USMNT, headlined by Fulham’s Antonee Robinson as potentially the best player in the entire player pool.

The Premier League defender and PSV Eindhoven’s Sergiño Dest will be favored to start as the widest defenders, whether as wingbacks or fullbacks, regardless of formation. Freeman, who has been in and out of CF Villrreal’s lineup, could also appear at right wingback. At the same time, Columbus Crew’s Max Arfsten is the likely understudy to Robinson on the left side.

While Dest has been largely unavailable due to injury over the last year, his recent uptick in minutes and form has pushed him back into starting contention, where he can be a key difference maker for the Stars and Stripes.

Outside of those four, who appear to all be locks, the versatile Joe Scally could draw into the picture, given his reliability with Borussia Mönchengladbach in the German top flight.

Midfielders

Weston McKennie is the most in-form USMNT midfielder. | Omar Vega/USSF/Getty Images

Player	Team	Caps
Tyler Adams	Bournemouth	52
Sebastian Berhalter	Vancouver Whitecaps	10
Johnny Cardoso	Atlético Madrid	22
Weston McKennie	Juventus	63
Gio Reyna	Borussia Mönchengladbach	35
Cristian Roldan	Seattle Sounders	44
Tanner Tessmann	Lyon	13
Malik Tillman	Bayer Leverkusen	27

Bournemouth’s Tyler Adams missed out on the October, November and March USMNT camps, but will still be the most consistent and most important midfielder for the national team, where he is also expected to don the captain’s armband.

Yet, it’s Juventus star Weston McKennie who has been the star of the 2025-26 season, thriving in nearly every position across the pitch with the Italian giants, showcasing versatility that can be critical in a World Cup campaign. Through 43 matches across all competitions, he has nine goals and eight assists, the most successful outing of his career as he proves to be one of the finest midfielders in Italy.

Outside of those two, Malik Tillman’s standout season with Bayer Leverkusen will have him in the squad, likely as a central midfielder. At the same time, Tanner Tessman enjoyed strong international showings in November and March, while Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Gio Reyna is also expected to make the team, despite struggling for playing time in league play.

From MLS, V ancouver Whitecaps’ Sebastian Berhalter and Seattle Sounders’ Cristian Roldan should serve as bench options, especially given Berhalter’s set-piece ability and Roldan’s leadership qualities.

Atlético Madrid’s Johnny Cardoso has enjoyed more regular playing time this season, but has still not impressed for the USMNT. He might be the final roster spot, with the hope that he can find his form for the Stars and Stripes.

Wingers

Player	Position	Team	Caps
Brendan Aaronson	RW/LW	Leeds United	56
Christian Pulisic	LW	AC Milan	83
Tim Weah	RW	Marseille	48

While Christian Pulisic remains the most talented player with the highest ceiling in the group, his impact on the tournament is likely to be minimal, having posted just a single assist and no goals in 15 games for Milan. Although there is still some time for him to build confidence, his form is a concerning factor for the USMNT, who had hoped to rely on the previously standout star as a difference-maker this summer.

“We are USA,” Pochettino said after the Portugal loss, where Pulisic failed to make an impact, in an indirect dig at his supposed star man. “We are competing against Belgium and Portugal. I think for sure Belgium and Portugal have in the top 100 players, a few or some, players playing in that top 100. I think we don’t have. That is why it’s good to play against these types of teams.”

Outside of Pulisic, Tim Weah has enjoyed a stellar campaign with Marseille and can play anywhere on the right side, while Brenden Aaronson, who hit a hot run of form early in the 2025–26 Premier League season with Leeds United, is still enjoying the best campaign of his career.

Strikers

Folarin Balogun is the top striker option for the USMNT. | Shaun Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Player	Team	Caps
Folarin Balogun	Monaco	24
Ricardo Pepi	PSV Eindhoven	35
Haji Wright	Coventry City	20

The USMNT has a bevy of talent at striker—but will likely only take three to the World Cup—and for the first time in a generation, has difference-makers to lead the line.

Enjoying a standout season with AS Monaco, with goals across Ligue 1 and the Champions League, Folarin Balogun remains the top choice for the USMNT heading into the spring, even after not being as clinical as hoped in the March window.

Behind him, PSV’s Ricardo Pepi likely takes the second spot. He played with a broken arm to ensure he wouldn't miss significant time this season and has a career-best 13 goals in 23 games, helping PSV to the league title. However, his two-way reliability could be a concern for Pochettino, who demands plenty of shutdown work from his strikers when out of possession.

For the third spot on the roster, it likely belongs to Haji Wright, after fellow Championship striker and Pochettino’s preferred option, Patrick Agyemang, suffered a season-ending injury in April. Wright has scored 17 goals in 30 Championship matches this season, helping lead Coventry City back to the Premier League for the first time in a quarter-century.