The FIFA World Cup 2026 starts on June 11, meaning that time is ticking for United States Men’s National Team manager Mauricio Pochettino to decide on the squad that he will bring to his first major tournament.
This year’s World Cup will be hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with 16 host cities between the three countries. It’s also the first World Cup to have 48 countries represented, a change in the format that was voted on all the way back in 2017.
After a rough international break with two losses, the first to Belgium on March 28 and the second to Portugal on March 31, the clock is ticking quickly leading up to May 26, the date that the official roster will be announced.
Goalkeepers
Matt Freese, New York City FC | Matt Turner, New England Revolution | Gabriel Slonina, Chelsea
I don’t think there’s really a question why Matt Freese has won the starting job for the squad. He impressed while starting every game and showcased dependability during the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, in which the team lost in the final to Mexico.
For Matt Turner, the role is reduced from his last trip to the World Cup, but he’s probably the best back up keeper that the USMNT could ask for. He has the tournament experience to be a leader for the team and could also step in between the sticks if needed. Realistically, either Matt could find themselves on the teamsheet come the first game of the tournament, it just appears that Pochettino has found himself favoring Freese.
As for the youngster, Gabriel Slonina, he’s a goalkeeper with a lot of potential, who would gain a lot from getting the experience early. Slonina will be just 22 years of age at the World Cup, meaning that he has the chance to stick around USMNT camps and tournaments for the next decade and a half.
Defenders
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace | Mark McKenzie, Toulouse | Tim Ream, Charlotte FC | Miles Robinson, FC Cincinnati | Auston Trusty, Celtic | Antonee Robinson, Fulham | Max Arfsten, Columbus Crew | Sergiño Dest, PSV | Alex Freeman, Villarreal
Chris Richards is long overdue for a World Cup appearance. I thought he should have made the last tournament in Qatar in 2022, and he’s more than secured his spot not only on the team, but in the starting XI. In my opinion, the ideal center back partnership for him is Toulouse’s Mark McKenzie.
The duo would be a monumental improvement over the 2022 pairing of Tim Ream and Toronto FC’s Walker Zimmerman. While Ream’s best playing days are behind him, he will still serve an invaluable role as a veteran on the training ground for the four other center backs, all of which would be at their first World Cup camp.
Auston Trusty and Miles Robinson are worthy understudies, and the former would be my pick to enter the starting lineup should Pochettino play the three center back formation he’s been experimenting with on recent international breaks.
Antonee Robinson is another nailed-on starter, and it’s unlikely they’ll even need to use the backup Max Arfsten. Antonee Robinson has been one of the top left backs in the Premier League for the past handful of seasons.
The right back position is not as plentiful for the USMNT. Their No. 1 right back, Sergiño Dest, is used more as a winger or wingback under Pochettino, but I still believe his best value comes as the right back in a back four. Whether he’s playing right wing or right back, he’s a useful squad player.
Dest is also recovering from a hamstring injury that will brush up pretty closely to the last international camp just before the World Cup. Should he not be available, his spot should go to Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Joe Scally.
This sees Alex Freeman, who just signed for Villarreal in January, get the starting right back spot in the tournament. He’s had limited playing time in Spain but is still the current strongest option.
Midfielders
Tyler Adams, Bournemouth | Johnny Cardoso, Atlético Madrid | Malik Tillman, Bayer Leverkusen | Weston McKennie, Juventus | Yunus Musah, Atalanta | Gianluca Busio, Venezia | Tanner Tessmann, Lyon
Just in front of the backline, the USMNT should run a double pivot of Tyler Adams and Johnny Cardoso. I’m under the assumption that Adams will sport the captain’s armband once again, and his defensive tendencies combined with Cardoso’s on-ball composure should be the heart of the squad.
Going forward, there’s really no better options for the team than Malik Tillman and Weston McKennie. The latter has been in great form for Juventus, with eight goals and five assists in all competitions. While Tillman’s goal and assist numbers aren’t what fans would desire, he remains the nation’s most composed player on the ball in my eyes.
WHAT A START FOR USMNT ATTACKING MIDFIELDER MALIK TILLMAN!
TWO FIRST HALF GOALS FOR BAYER LEVERKUSEN.
THEY LEAD 2-0 AGAINST VILLARREAL IN THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!pic.twitter.com/KZdzPEVPtY
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) January 28, 2026
Tillman and McKennie’s positions are interchangeable for the most part. But I think, at the current moment, McKennie is most effective playing through the middle as Tillman finds himself out on the left, a position he’s proven he can play.
Yunus Musah has picked up form recently after a poor start to his tenure at Atalanta, where he’s on loan from parent club AC Milan, but is still largely inconsistent on the season. His inclusion comes from a mixture of experience and still being one of the most athletically-gifted players the United States has to offer.
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Gianluca Busio and Tanner Tessmann will both help out as reserves, currently playing in Italy and France, respectively. The former Venezia teammates specialize in the possession-based style of play that the Argentine manager has been experimenting with. While I don’t think Pochettino will bring Busio, he’s one of the nation’s most creative midfielders.
Guys like Sebastian Berhalter and Cristian Roldan don’t make my squad. Although, I think there’s a good chance Pochettino selects them for the roster. For me, I just think there’s players that do what they do, just at a much higher level.
The first name off of my list to be sent to the tournament is Middlesbrough’s Aidan Morris. I think he would bring a high-octane touch to the squad, but I don’t see a polished player when I watch his games in the EFL Championship.
Forwards
Christian Pulisic, AC Milan | Brendan Aaronson, Leeds United | Tim Weah, Marseille | Gio Reyna, Borussia Mönchengladbach | Folarin Balogun, Monaco | Ricardo Pepi, PSV | Haji Wright, Coventry City
As the biggest question mark for the USMNT heading into these final months before the World Cup, the attack needs to be on point if the Outlaws want to make it out of the group stage come June.
Possibly, the most secure spot in the starting lineup is that of Christian Pulisic. While many national team fans question his ability, specifically when playing in games for the country, it still remains true that he’s been probably the best attacker for European giant AC Milan for the past three seasons. In that time, he’s racked up 66 goals and assists for the Rossoneri.
Because I have two midfielders playing alongside Pulisic, just behind the striker, it means there’s a plethora of options on the bench. Giovanni Reyna, despite a rough few seasons, is still my pick for the most naturally-talented player in the whole nation and could work magic as a key reserve.
Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah are guys that can run all day, and being able to substitute them in around the 1 hour mark of matches will give defenders a new look that will be hard to keep up with. I can see an outcome where most of our attacking damage is done at the hands — or feet, technically — of these two in a super-sub situation.
As far as strikers go, no player was harder for me to leave off than Derby County’s Patrick Agyemang. Unfortunately, his achilles injury sustained in a game against Stoke City renders him ineligible for the tournament.
The United States Soccer Federation has invested a lot into Folarin Balogun. USSF convinced him to represent the stars and stripes over playing for Nigeria and England in the summer of 2023, after he had just completed a breakout 21-goal season in France’s Ligue 1. The striker has found himself back in a goal-scoring mood after two sluggish seasons at Monaco.
When it comes to goal scoring, no American striker has been more prolific than Wright. He’s Coventry City’s leading scorer as they find themselves top of the championship table, poised to return to the Premier League for the first time since the 2000-01 season.
Ricardo Pepi was the most notable omission from the 2022 USMNT World Cup Squad, and since then, he’s only developed as a player. He’s consistently impressed at PSV, and to call him a serviceable backup would be an understatement.
My full ideal starting XI is as follows:
