USMNT World Cup roster: Pochettino’s full 26-man USA squad confirmed
Midfielder Tanner Tessmann has been left off the U.S. men’s national team roster for the 2026 World Cup, while Club América winger Alejandro Zendejas and Seattle Sounders midfielder Cristian Roldan are both in the 26-man squad, multiple sources briefed on the roster decisions told The Athletic.Three players who missed out on the World Cup roster in 2022 are also included in the squad: center back Miles Robinson, who missed Qatar due to an Achilles injury; center back Chris Richards, who also missed out due to injury; and forward Ricardo Pepi, who was widely considered to be one of the final cuts from that 2022 team.Gio Reyna is also included, as reported on Friday night by The Athletic.Tessmann being left off of the team is the biggest shock. The 24-year-old midfielder was a part of six camps under U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino and started 22 of 29 Ligue 1 games for Lyon this season, while also playing in nine Europa League games, including five starts.Many saw Tessmann as a potential starter in this World Cup. The midfielder, who also has the versatility to play center back in a pinch, was shut down by Lyon due to an injury at the end of the season, but sources felt confident that Tessmann would be healthy in time for the World Cup.The full roster was reported first by The Guardian earlier Saturday and has been independently verified by multiple sources to The Athletic. U.S. Soccer declined to comment.Players were informed of the roster decisions Friday. Diego Luna was another player omitted, as reported by The Athletic on Friday night. Luna has also been dealing with a muscle injury.
There are no other major surprises in the squad, half of which represented the U.S. in Qatar four years ago.
Mauricio Pochettino has made his World Cup choices for the USMNT’s roster (Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)Goalkeeper Matt Freese, the likely No. 1 at the tournament, is among the 26 players selected, as is Chicago Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady, who has been a regular under Pochettino.Veteran captain Tim Ream joins Richards, Auston Trusty, Robinson and Mark McKenzie as center backs.Pochettino is bringing a glut of players who can play as fullbacks or wingbacks, including Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Joe Scally and Max Arfsten.Tessmann’s absence, as well as Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris being left off the squad, means the team will be somewhat thin in central midfield, with Roldan joining Sebastian Berhalter and Tyler Adams on the roster. Weston McKennie is also included in the team and can play deeper in midfield, but he has been used mostly in attacking midfield positions lately.The attacking midfield includes star Christian Pulisic, Malik Tillman, Reyna, Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson and Zendejas. Tillman is also capable of playing in a deeper role in midfield.Zendejas, the Club América winger, has had a fantastic season in Liga MX. He is probably one of the roster’s bigger surprises, as he had not been with the USMNT since October, though he was part of four squads under Pochettino in 2024 and 2025.The forward group is led by Folarin Balogun, but also includes Pepi and 2022 World Cup goalscorer Haji Wright. Each enjoyed a prolific club season, with Balogun and Pepi scoring 19 goals in all competitions and Wright netting 18.The roster will be officially announced Tuesday afternoon at an event at Pier 17 along the East River in Manhattan. Players will then fly to Atlanta and set up camp in Fayette County, Ga., north of the city, at U.S. Soccer’s new national training center.The 26-man group is subject to change in the event of an injury this weekend. And while the federation’s announcement is on Tuesday, there is nothing binding Pochettino to set the final 26-man roster on that date. Official rosters must be submitted to FIFA by June 1, at which point they are final. A player can be replaced after the deadline “only in the event of serious injury or illness,” per FIFA regulations.The U.S. will play two send-off friendlies, first against Senegal in Charlotte on May 31, then against Germany in Chicago on June 6, before traveling to Southern California and their World Cup base camp in Irvine, Calif. The first game of the group stage is June 12 vs. Paraguay at SoFi Stadium outside Los Angeles. Group D play continues June 19 vs. Australia at Seattle’s Lumen Field before wrapping back at SoFi against Turkey on June 25.Goalkeepers (3): Matt Freese, Matt Turner, Chris BradyCenter backs (5): Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty, Miles RobinsonFullbacks (5): Antonee Robinson, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Joe Scally, Max ArfstenCentral midfielders: (4): Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Cristian Roldan, Sebastian BerhalterAttacking midfielders/wingers (6): Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Malik Tillman, Gio Reyna, Brenden Aaronson, Alejandro ZendejasStrikers (3): Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright
