Pochettino Names Final 26-Man USMNT Roster for 2026 World Cup
Mauricio Pochettino has officially named his final 26-man United States Men’s National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With the tournament taking place on home soil, expectations surrounding the USMNT are higher than ever as the Americans aim for their deepest World Cup run in decades.
Mauricio Pochettino Talks About the 2026 FIFA World Cup Roster
The pressure is on — and Pochettino has now revealed the squad he believes can deliver.
Goalkeepers
- Chris Brady — Chicago Fire FC
- Matt Freese — New York City FC
- Matt Turner — New England Revolution
Defenders
- Max Arfsten — Columbus Crew
- Sergiño Dest — PSV
- Alex Freeman — Villarreal
- Mark McKenzie — Toulouse
- Tim Ream — Charlotte FC
- Chris Richards — Crystal Palace
- Antonee Robinson — Fulham
- Miles Robinson — FC Cincinnati
- Joe Scally — Borussia Mönchengladbach
- Auston Trusty — Celtic
Midfielders
- Tyler Adams — AFC Bournemouth
- Sebastian Berhalter — Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Weston McKennie — Juventus
- Gio Reyna — Borussia Mönchengladbach
- Cristian Roldan — Seattle Sounders FC
- Malik Tillman — Bayer Leverkusen
Forwards
- Brenden Aaronson — Leeds United
- Folarin Balogun — AS Monaco
- Ricardo Pepi — PSV
- Christian Pulisic — AC Milan
- Tim Weah — Marseille
- Haji Wright — Coventry City
- Alex Zendejas — Club América
Key Takeaways
MLS continues to play a major role in the national team pipeline.
Eight current MLS players made the squad, representing 31% of the roster, while a remarkable 81% of the team has developmental roots in Major League Soccer.
At the same time, Pochettino heavily leaned on Europe-based experience, selecting 13 players currently competing in the Big Five leagues.
The roster also features several veterans expected to form the spine of the team, including Tyler Adams, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Ream.
Biggest Omissions
USMNT midfielder Tanner Tessmann
The most surprising exclusion is midfielder Tanner Tessmann, who many expected to make the final squad after a strong campaign with Lyon.
Diego Luna was another notable omission following his impressive 2026 MLS season with Real Salt Lake.
Aidan Morris also narrowly missed out despite consistent performances at Middlesbrough.
Pochettino clearly prioritized experience and tactical reliability in midfield over experimentation.
USA Group D Schedule
- June 12 — USA vs Paraguay (Los Angeles)
- June 19 — USA vs Australia (Seattle)
- June 25 — USA vs Türkiye (Los Angeles)
Expectations on Home Soil
This will mark the United States’ 12th FIFA World Cup appearance and their second time hosting the tournament.
After reaching the Round of 16 in Qatar four years ago, expectations have dramatically increased for this generation.
Advancing from the group stage is now considered the minimum objective.
In front of home crowds, Pochettino’s squad will be expected to make a serious run.