Updated Projected USMNT Starting XI and Squad for the 2026 World Cup

The United States men’s national team has some work to do before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. That much was clear as the U.S. finished last in the Concacaf Nations League Final Four, a tournament it had won all three times previously.

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino now faces a long couple of months before his team plays in the Gold Cup. From there, it's all downhill to the one everyone is waiting for: A World Cup played on home soil.

While the Argentine knows the results from the Nations League weren't good enough, he remains convinced the team will be able to learn what he and his coaching staff hope to communicate and respond with victories that will thrill the country.

"You will see. If in one year, we're talking about that, it's because we have a big problem and were not able to discover a strategy to provide the team the capacity to play a different way," he told reporters after a 2-1 loss to Canada in the third-place game. "I prefer for that to happen today than in one year."

But what changes will he make, and what will his roster look like? Here, B/R projects the squad and the starting XI that will take the field next June.

While teams were able to take 26 players to Qatar, preparation for that World Cup was marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The squad limit for the 2023 Women's World Cup was back to 23, and the regulations for ongoing qualification matches allow for 23 players on the start list for each game.

Managers will hope they get another three slots, but we are keeping our list to 23 for this exercise.

The United States will open the 2026 World Cup at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, the same venue where it just experienced its biggest setback of the Pochettino era.

This XI looks a fair bit like the one that struggled in the Nations League Final Four, and that should be cause for concern. That's especially true since the only real additions are players who missed out on matches in March because of injury: Folarin Balogun coming in up top, and the fullbacks getting an upgrade with the returns of Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest, who recently returned to the field for PSV after an extended absence with a torn ACL.

Still, another year-plus of seasoning, continued chances for Diego Luna and players getting fit in key areas should help the U.S.

The "MMA" midfield of Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams could return, but creating chances seems more urgent than midfield steel right now. But that will, of course, be matchup-dependent.

Goalkeeper: Matt Turner

Defense: Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Antonee Robinson

Midfield: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie

Attack: Tim Weah, Diego Luna, Christian Pulisic

Forward: Folarin Balogun

Matt Turner, Zack Steffen, Patrick Schulte

Shot-stopping has been an American strength for many years, but a lack of minutes at the club level for current No. 1 Matt Turner suddenly has goalkeeper turning into a position that has many U.S. fans anxious.

There is still time for the 30-year-old to make a move from Nottingham Forest to a club where he's the starter and can get into a rhythm.

Turner is currently being pushed by Zack Steffen, who has been in superb form since returning from Europe to join the Colorado Rapids last season.

Other goalkeepers are pushing to make the list. New York City FC standout Matt Freese was on the preliminary list for the Nations League, as was Barcelona B teenager Diego Kochen.

Perhaps one of them jumps Columbus Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, or an MLS regular becomes a regular starter for a European team in the next few months. 

For now, this still feels like Turner's job to lose while Steffen continues to challenge for it. A third goalkeeper who can learn from them may be selected ahead of the next cycle.

Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Sergino Dest, Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, Jackson Ragen

This was a strange window for U.S. players along the back line.

With Antonee Robinson pulling out of the squad late because of tendinopathy, the most consistent member of the defense needed to be replaced. If healthy, the Fulham defender is at left back.

At center back, the U.S. is hoping to get top-level performances from Chris Richards and Mark McKenzie in the middle, like they show with Crystal Palace and Toulouse, respectively.

Tim Ream continues to start big matches such as the semifinal against Panama and captain the team. He’ll be 38 when the World Cup begins, but it feels like Pochettino trusts the Charlotte FC defender. 

Jackson Ragen has not been with the U.S. as often as the other names on the list, missing January camp to stay with the Seattle Sounders. He will also be part of the FIFA Club World Cup with the Sounders rather than earning a place on the Gold Cup roster.

However, teams need to take four center backs to the World Cup, and there are other windows in which the Sounders defender might be able to earn a call, and his play anchoring the best defense in MLS speaks for itself.

Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Johnny Cardoso, Tanner Tessmann, Yunus Musah

The U.S. will go into 2026 feeling that its strength is in the middle of the field. All five of these players currently are seeing regular minutes in a top European league, generally perform when wearing the national team shirt and project to improve in the next 15 months.

The MMA is, almost certainly, in, not only because of their experience and abilities but also because of their versatility. Pochettino has tried Musah out wide, though it hasn’t worked like he’d hope, and also could put Adams in as an emergency fullback if needed. McKennie can do a bit of everything.

Johnny continues to do well in Spain and was set to join in March before suffering a knock. Tessmann looks like a player who has quickly earned Pochettino’s trust. 

Maybe someone joins this group, but for now it’s tough to see any of them missing out.

Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Diego Luna, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Brandon Vazquez

Here we have our attackers: Wingers, attacking midfielders and central forwards.

Whether it be out wide or through the middle, Diego Luna's two most recent performances with the Stars and Stripes have demanded he continue to be included in the squad.

The Real Salt Lake star was resilient in a January match outside the FIFA window, then gave a needed spark to the U.S. in the third-place defeat against Canada.

Still, he is nowhere near as indispensable as Christian Pulisic. Despite not seeing much of the ball during the third-place game and returning to AC Milan after a frustrating pair of games, he is the Americans' most influential player.

There are no questions, either, about Tim Weah's inclusion. If the Juventus player is healthy, he will be on it.

Things are less clear with Gio Reyna, who has struggled with injuries and is clearly yet to fully win over Pochettino, who hinted that he wanted the Borussia Dortmund player to arrive at the next camp in better fitness and perhaps with a better mindset as well.

While frustrating, supporters will look for the 22-year-old to make a summer move from Dortmund and, ideally, be energized by his new club.

None of the central forwards from the March roster are in our final squad, as we project the return of Folarin Balogun from his shoulder injury, Ricardo Pepi from a knee injury and a surge from Brandon Vazquez, who scored his first Austin FC goal Sunday. 

There is still a chance for the center-forward crew from the March squad, especially Patrick Agyemang, who got himself into the right places to score in the semifinal but couldn't finish.

And he, Josh Sargent and Brian White all could continue to show a positive trajectory at the club level. But if Balogun at Monaco and Pepi at PSV can do the same, there may not be many spots left for No. 9s.