The United States men’s national team will officially reveal its 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, with Mauricio Pochettino preparing to finalise the group that will represent the host nation at football’s biggest tournament next month. The roster announcement event will take place live from The Rooftop at Pier 17 in New York City and will be broadcast nationally on FOX from 3 p.m. ET on May 26, (12:30 a.m. IST on May 27 for viewers in India). US Soccer confirmed the hour-long event will feature appearances from several American football legends and FOX Sports broadcasters, including Alexi Lalas, Stu Holden, Carli Lloyd, Rob Stone, Jenny Taft and Landon Donovan, alongside additional celebrity guests. The squad reveal comes with growing anticipation around the United States ahead of the first men’s FIFA World Cup hosted on American soil since 1994, when the tournament ran from June 17 to July 17 and concluded with Brazil defeating Italy on penalties in the final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Mauricio Pochettino prepares for first major tournament with USMNT
Former Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has led the United States since September 2024 after replacing Gregg Berhalter following the team’s mixed performances in recent years. The Argentine coach has overseen 24 matches so far, recording 13 wins, two draws and nine defeats heading into the tournament. Pochettino now faces the challenge of leading a United States side attempting to produce its deepest World Cup run since reaching the quarter-finals during the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
United States’ men’s national team soccer coach Mauricio Pochettino speaks with the media, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, in Morristown, N.J. (AP Photo/Ronald Blum)
The United States failed to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup before returning in 2022, where the team reached the round of 16 before suffering a 3-1 defeat against the Netherlands. This year’s tournament represents another historic moment for American football, with the United States co-hosting the competition alongside Canada and Mexico across an expanded 48-team format. The tournament officially begins on June 11 when Mexico faces South Africa in Mexico City, while the United States opens its campaign against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Americans have been drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, with group-stage matches scheduled between June 11 and June 27 before the knockout rounds begin on June 28. The final will take place on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Leaks reportedly revealed much of the squad before official announcement
While US Soccer organised a large-scale live event around the roster reveal, much of the suspense surrounding the announcement has reportedly already been reduced after several reputable outlets published leaked versions of Pochettino’s final selection over recent days. Reports from multiple publications, including The Guardian and The Athletic, claimed to have independently verified the majority of the 26-player squad before the official unveiling. The reported leaks also emerged shortly after reports indicated that Real Salt Lake playmaker Diego Luna would miss out on the final squad despite several strong performances leading into the tournament. According to the widely reported leaked squad lists, AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie are expected to headline the group carrying American hopes into the competition. Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Gio Reyna is also reportedly included despite limited appearances in recent months, while Monaco striker Folarin Balogun, PSV Eindhoven forward Ricardo Pepi and Coventry City attacker Haji Wright are expected to form the striker options.
Reported leaked USMNT World Cup squad
Goalkeepers
Chris Brady (Chicago Fire) Matt Freese (New York City FC) Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders
Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew) Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven) 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 (Bournemouth) Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps) Weston McKennie (Juventus) Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)
Attacking midfielders and wingers
Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United) Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach) Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen) Tim Weah (Marseille) Alejandro Zendejas (Club América)
Strikers
Folarin Balogun (Monaco) Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven) Haji Wright (Coventry City) US Soccer regulations require the final World Cup roster to contain a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26, including at least three goalkeepers.
Final preparations begin immediately after announcement
Following Tuesday’s announcement event, the squad will immediately travel to the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center in Fayette County, Georgia, to begin the final phase of preparations before the World Cup starts. The United States will play two final pre-tournament friendlies before beginning group-stage action next month. Pochettino’s side first faces Senegal on May 31 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, before taking on four-time world champions Germany on June 6 in Chicago, Illinois. US Soccer stated that the New York event forms part of its broader “Never Chase Reality” campaign, which aims to inspire players and supporters to “push beyond expectations and reimagine what’s possible on the world stage through hard work, determination and an unyielding belief.” The announcement event is expected to feature several of the selected players in attendance as anticipation continues building around the biggest men’s football tournament ever staged across North America.
