The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in 141 days and while it still feels like the tournament is ample time away, the clock has continued ticking for the U.S. men’s national team.
Mauricio Pochettino will have plenty of roster decisions to make before next summer’s competition begins, while the program itself only has one international window left to prepare. A lot could still change by June too, pending injuries and form to many of the players in the current pool.
Projecting the 2026 World Cup roster is a bit simpler than it was in 2022, given that many key faces of the program have developed into important players. From Christian Pulisic to Chris Richards to Tyler Adams, many of the USMNT’s main figures are in the primes of their careers and should be expected to play large roles in the squad.
However, several positions are still up for grabs, including the starting No. 9 job, the right back position, and the central midfield positions.
With all that in mind, here is a projected 26-man roster we could see represent the United States at the 2026 World Cup:
Goalkeepers
Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte
Matt Freese has continued to play the No. 1 goalkeeper under Mauricio Pochettino and bearing a major chance in performances, I don’t see that changing. Freese delivered a solid showing at the CONCACAF Gold Cup and was rarely troubled during the October and November windows.
Matt Turner and Patrick Schulte would be my two choices behind Freese if the tournament started tomorrow. Both Turner and Schulte will have a half-season of MLS play under their belts before the World Cup continues and overall look to have a leg up on other MLS and European options.
Missed the Cut – Diego Kochen, Zack Steffen, Jonathan Klinsmann, Chris Brady.
Defenders
Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Auston Trusty, Miles Robinson, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Antonee Robinson, Max Arfsten.
Going into the 2022 FIFA World Cup, it was unknown who Gregg Berhalter would go with at the starting centerback positions. That doesn’t seem to be the case for 2026.
Chris Richards looks to have propelled himself into the USMNT’s No. 1 centerback over the past season-and-a-half, especially given the consistent playing time at Crystal Palace. Richards has become a strong one-on-one defender and overall is tough to beat in the air. I fully expect Richards to be the face of the USMNT backline even heading into 2030.
Tim Ream’s veteran presence has kept him in the USMNT picture under Pochettino. Ream’s calmness and composure has led to him teaming up with Richards among others on multiple occasions this year. Bearing injury or form, I’d expect Ream to be in the USMNT’s opening day XI next to Richards.
Miles Robinson and Mark McKenzie seem to have shifted themselves into the mix for the No. 3 centerback position, while Celtic’s Auston Trusty was part of the November camp. All three defenders featured over the past two matches and will be jostling with each other over the next few months.
Cameron Carter-Vickers’ recent Achilles’ injury will hamper his chances, but should he get back to fitness next spring, he could be back among the options. However, it looks very likely at this point in time.
Antonee Robinson is the USMNT’s No. 1 left back option, and despite a slow start to his Premier League season, the veteran defender is back playing regularly for Fulham. A healthy Robinson is key heading into 2026, but should a setback arise, Max Arfsten could be set to jump into the left back role once again.
John Tolkin featured during the November window and could be in the No. 3 spot right now at left back.
At right back, Sergino Dest’s versatility and explosiveness does give him an edge over the options in the pool, but the main question is, can he stay healthy? Dest featured in both matches during the November window and brings the most in terms of offensive and defensive abilities.
Alex Freeman and Joe Scally are two players that will compete for the starting right back job, while Freeman has boosted his stock in recent months. The Orlando City defender scored twice against Uruguay while Scally started against Paraguay.
Right now, Freeman has the leg up on Scally, but a lot could change with Freeman set for an MLS offseason.
Missed The Cut – Cameron Carter-Vickers (Injury), John Tolkin, Joe Scally, Marlon Fossey, DeJuan Jones, Nate Harriel, Walker Zimmerman, Tristan Blackmon, George Campbell.
Midfielders
Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman, Tanner Tessmann, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian Berhalter, Brenden Aaronson.
Pochettino will have plenty of tough decisions to make in his midfield.
One tough decision he won’t have to make is regarding Tyler Adams though. Adams is the USMNT’s leader in midfield and he remains very much so heading into 2026. Although an MCL injury has sidelined Adams at Bournemouth, he should be back available by March-April, giving him two months to prepare for the World Cup.
Weston McKennie’s versatility could see him used in a number of different roles. McKennie was used as a wide midfielder during the October window and could even play as a wing back. He also does remain important as a central midfield option, especially with goals coming regularly for him at Juventus.
Tanner Tessmann has quickly become an important midfielder for the USMNT, given his increased role at Ligue 1 side Lyon. Tessmann’s range and awareness has led to him starting week in and week out at Lyon despite suffering a slight injury hiccup in the fall/winter.
It will be curious to see whether or not Tessmann is a starter by next summer, but he certainly is a bench option. Although a recent injury has sidelined Tessmann, he does have a leg up on other midfielders.
In terms of creativity, Malik Tillman, Brenden Aaronson, and Sebastian Berhalter are my three choices to round out the midfield. Tillman’s role with the USMNT has risen over the last year, which has led to his club move to Bayer Leverkusen.
Aaronson brings veteran experience to the midfield, especially in comparison to guys like Aidan Morris, Johnny Cardoso, and others. With the goal contributions increasing at Leeds United, expect Aaronson to be among the final guys fighting for roster spots.
Berhalter enjoyed a positive 2025 for club and country and could very well take over set-piece duty if he jumps back into the squad next March. The key thing for him is staying fit, especially with an early start to the season in CONCACAF Champions Cup action.
Cristian Roldan delivered a busy year for club and country in 2025 and was key in the October window. Similar to Berhalter, it will be interesting to see if Roldan can stay fit and injury-free.
Aidan Morris, Yunus Musah, and Johnny Cardoso are three guys that are on the bubble and could force their way in with strong domestic seasons abroad. Cardoso’s tough start at Atletico Madrid hurt his fall, but he’s since come back to playing important minutes in multiple competitions.
Morris missed time in the fall due to a knee injury, but is now back to playing a key role for Middlesbrough during the second half of the season. Musah struggled for playing time after arriving in Bergamo but now looks to be featuring a bit more frequently of late.
A positive November window helped Gio Reyna get back on track and now it’s up to him to continue that trend this winter/spring. Reyna has found starts tough to come by, but still offers a lot off of the bench.
He’d be the last name on the list if the World Cup roster was needed today.
Missed The Cut – Diego Luna, Yunus Musah, Aidan Morris, Gianluca Busio, Paxten Aaronson, Luca De La Torre, Johnny Cardoso, Djordje Mihailovic, Jack McGlynn, Quinn Sullivan (Injury), Ben Cremaschi, Caden Clark, Brian Gutierrez, Timmy Tillman, James Sands.
Forwards
Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Haji Wright, Folarin Balogun, Alex Zendejas, Ricardo Pepi.
The increased roster size from 23 to 26 players should help Pochettino in bringing in a few extra forwards for the competition.
Christian Pulisic should be the first name on the forward list, given his importance to the program and his final-third abilities. Pulisic’s blistering season with AC Milan is another prime example of his goalscoring and assisting abilities. However, there is always a worry about his fitness, which could be a potential issue by the end of the Serie A campaign.
Tim Weah’s versatility should see him at either right wing or right wing back. Despite playing week in and week out at Marseille, Weah had a quiet October window and was not named in the November roster so his international performances will have to improve.
Alex Zendejas is another name that could be used at right wing when back to full fitness. Zendejas was part of the October roster before an injury forced him to withdraw from the squad. He remained a consistent performer in Mexico with Club America before an injury ended his season early.
Zendejas is still absent during the early stages of the Clausura season but should be back soon.
The No. 9 race will be tough for Pochettino to break down, but I see Folarin Balogun and Haji Wright battling for the starting job right now. Balogun scored in both of the October and November windows and overall might have an edge over the other forwards in the pool due to his consistency when called in.
Wright would get the nod of Ricardo Pepi at this time due to Pepi’s arm injury and Wright’s positive run for Coventry City. However, plenty could change with four months of club action left to go.
Patrick Agyemang and Josh Sargent are the other two other forwards fighting to be part of the World Cup roster.
Agyemang is playing a larger role for Derby County, scoring seven goals in all competitions. If he continues to produce for the Rams, it’s hard to not see him considered at this time.
Sargent is fifth on the depth chart at this time, especially given his current situation at Norwich City. Whether Sargent remains in England this season is unknown, but regardless, his lack of international goals in recent times is a worry.
Missed The Cut – Patrick Agyemang, Josh Sargent, Daryl Dike, Damion Downs, Indiana Vassilev.
What do you think of this roster projection? Who is on the squad that you are happy to see included? Who is the one player you would add to the team that isn’t among our 26? Who isn’t listed on any of the above lists that you feel absolutely should be mentioned? (We will be adjusting the list to include any players we may have accidentally left off).
Share your thoughts below.