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Ryan Tolmich

Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie are locks, but competition behind them is fierce: 2026 USMNT World Cup roster projection

With the World Cup just months away, GOAL looks at how the U.S. squad might look in the summer.

The U.S. Men's National Team are almost there. In just a few short months, they'll take the field in what will certainly be a life-altering home World Cup, one that many believe can change the sport forever. Before that, though, manager Mauricio Pochettino will have to make some big decisions on who will and won't be included in the team set to play in that World Cup.

Those decisions won't be easy. Throughout his tenure, Pochettino has made a point to introduce new faces, giving them the confidence and opportunity to play their way into the squad. Many of those new faces have taken those chances, putting "the old guard" on notice. In response, we've seen several familiar faces play the best stretches of soccer we've ever seen. It's exactly the competition Pochettino will want just a few short months before the World Cup kicks off.

But, when the big decisions do come in the summer, what will they look like? Who could be in the USMNT World Cup squad? GOAL takes a look at where the U.S. stands as of January...

  • Matt Freese USMNTGetty Images

    GOALKEEPERS

    GOAL's picks: Matt Freese, Patrick Schulte, Matt Turner

    In the mix: Jonathan Klinsmann, Ethan Horvath, Chris Brady, Roman Celentano, Diego Kochen, Zack Steffen

    Not much of a change in this department and it's pretty obvious to see why: most of the goalkeepers are in MLS.

    The only person on this list to have played a senior minute since November is Klinsmann, who continues to perform with Cesena in Serie B. That certainly has him in the mix, particularly for March, considering the rest of these players will head into the next international window relatively cold.

    Otherwise, the picture remains the same. Freese seems to be the starter, Turner is the most likely backup, and the fight is on to see who joins them this summer.

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  • Panama v United States - CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024Getty Images Sport

    DEFENDERS

    GOAL's picks: Max Arfsten, Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson

    In the mix: Noahkai Banks, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Joe Scally, John Tolkin, Auston Trusty, Walker Zimmerman

    Starting with the center backs, there's a big wildcard here in the form of Banks, who has seemingly taken a massive leap forward since the fall. Now starting and performing regularly in the Bundesliga, he has to be right on the cusp. However, it's hard to justify chucking a player in for his first caps in a World Cup environment. Because of that, let's revisit him in March after he, hopefully, gets some run against Portugal or Belgium.

    Scally, too, is an interesting one. Able to play as a third center back or as a right back, there's versatility there alongside plenty of Bundesliga experience. He only returned to the group in the fall, though, so he may have some ground to make up on a few of the guys who were involved through most of the year. 

    Largely, though, many of the regulars here are well-known and, with Antonee Robinson now back to full fitness, there's even more reason for optimism. 

  • United States v Uruguay - International FriendlyGetty Images Sport

    MIDFIELDERS

    GOAL's picks: Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris, Gio Reyna, Cristian Roldan, Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman

    In the mix: Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre, Jack McGlynn, Yunus Musah

    As usual, we'll begin with Reyna, who remains such a topic of debate even now with the World Cup so close to kicking off. He was fantastic in the November friendlies, as he tends to be with the USMNT. He has done little of note with Borussia Monchengladbach since, although he has played more, which is cause for celebration given the last few seasons. Is it enough, though? Does talent outweigh all here? Again, it remains a topic of debate, and it probably will right up until the roster is selected.

    If not Reyna, there are plenty of contenders. Cardoso is playing at Atletico Madrid and, despite his USMNT struggles, has to be considered on that fact alone. McGlynn will be fit in time for the MLS season after missing USMNT camp due to a late-2025 injury; how does he look to start the season? And then there's Musah, who, like Reyna, has all the talent in the world but not much production on the club level.

    There has already some major shifts in this group. McKennie, who missed much of 2025, is now someone the U.S. couldn't imagine playing without, given his recent run of form with Juventus. Aaronson, meanwhile, has gone from bubble to virtual lock with his run in the Premier League. This is a group that could certainly shift even more at any time due to the profiles of several players within it.

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  • Christian Pulisic USMNT 2025Getty

    FORWARDS

    GOAL's picks: Patrick Agyemang, Folarin Balogun, Diego Luna, Ricardo Pepi, Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah

    In the mix: Josh Sargent, Brian White, Haji Wright, Alejandro Zendejas

    Two of the strikers seem somewhat certain. Balogun is locked in, and Pepi likely is, too, as long as he can be fit and firing in time for this summer's tournament. The third spot will be tough, though, and it'll likely go down to the wire. At the moment, it may be Agyemang, considering his recent Championship form, but check back in May.

    As for the others, those seem somewhat more locked in. Pulisic isn't going anywhere. Neither is Weah. Luna will need a good start to the MLS season, but is more than capable of doing just that after closing 2025 on a high against Uruguay.