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A mix of veterans and newcomers will represent the United States at the World Cup

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Special Series 2026 World Cup: North America Find Your Station LISTEN: The Last Cup ESCUCHA: La última copa The 2026 FIFA World Cup is from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Sixteen host cities across North America, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, Kansas City, Miami, and New York/New Jersey in the United States. The NPR Network will have coverage from across the country leading up to and during the championship. Becky Sullivan Players of the United States pose for a team photo on stage during the U.S. Soccer World Cup roster reveal on Tuesday in New York City. Adam Hunger/Getty Images hide caption NEW YORK — The run-up to this summer's FIFA World Cup kicked into high gear Tuesday with the announcement of the 26 players who will represent the U.S. men's national soccer team. 2026 World Cup: North America Ahead of the World Cup, pressure to win and grow American soccer is on Tim Ream's mind The 2026 squad includes some of the country's biggest soccer stars, including AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic, Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie.
− Perhaps the most surprising inclusion is Alejandro Zendejas, a talented forward for the Mexican team Club América who had earned limited minutes under Pochettino and had not played for the USMNT since last September.
+ Players were informed by text and email on Friday, they said. Then, nearly all of them — minus defender Chris Richards, whose club team Crystal Palace is set to play in a European tournament final Wednesday — flew to New York City for a public reveal on a stage in front of hundreds of fans and was televised live on Fox.
+ "I'm grateful to be in this position. It's exactly what I want," said Pulisic. "You only have a World Cup in your home country once in your life." The tournament begins in just over two weeks, with games hosted in 16 cities across the U.S., Mexico and Canada. It will mark the first time that World Cup games are being held in the U.S. since 1994, when the tournament helped spark Americans' interest in soccer, leading to the formation of Major League Soccer and widespread participation in youth soccer. "When you think of the 2026 World Cup, you think of pressure," said Christian Roldan, the Seattle Sounders midfielder who made the roster in 2022 but did not appear in a game. "But the pressure comes with privilege. We have the opportunity to really motivate, inspire the next generation at this World Cup. And I think everybody holds that responsibility to their heart." U.S. Men's National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino speaks during a news conference following the announcement of the U.S. World Cup roster in New York on Tuesday. Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images hide caption Perhaps the most surprising inclusion is Alejandro Zendejas, a talented forward for the Mexican team Club América who had earned limited minutes under Pochettino and had not played for the USMNT since last September.
The prominent snubs are Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann and Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna, a fan favorite who has appeared in much of the marketing around the USMNT ahead of the World Cup. Both Tessmann and Luna had been dealing with injuries this spring but were thought to be available for the World Cup. Coach Mauricio Pochettino has experimented with a variety of lineups since he was hired in 2024 to steer the USMNT through this summer.
− Fans cheer during the United States World Cup roster reveal on Tuesday in New York City.
− Adam Hunger/Getty Images hide caption "We are confident this is the best group of 26 players to help us achieve success at the World Cup," Pochettino said in a news release.
+ With a home World Cup, hopes are high for the best finish in a generation: The U.S.
− "These were very difficult decisions, and we are thankful to all the players who were part of this journey.
+ last reached the quarterfinals in 2002 and has failed to advance past the Round of 16 since then. 2026 World Cup: North America Foreign ticket holders from World Cup teams' countries won't have to pay bonds to enter U.S.
− This group is very focused and ready to give everything they have to represent the United States and deliver performances that will make the fans and the country proud." 2026 World Cup: North America Foreign ticket holders from World Cup teams' countries won't have to pay bonds to enter U.S.
+ "We were working really hard for one year and a half or more to try to arrive in this moment," Pochettino said.
− Half of the squad represented the U.S.
+ "It is impossible to be fair with everyone.
+ But I think we made the best decision to be competitive and to try to win." Half of the squad represented the U.S.
at the World Cup in Qatar four years ago. That includes the only three players who scored a goal in that tournament: forwards Pulisic, Tim Weah and Haji Wright, who came off the bench and made the only score of the USMNT's 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the knockout round.
− Meanwhile, 13 players will represent the U.S.
+ Fans cheer during the United States World Cup roster reveal on Tuesday in New York City.
− in the World Cup for the first time — including the El Paso native and PSV Eindhoven forward Ricardo Pepi, who was widely regarded the biggest snub in 2022.
+ Adam Hunger/Getty Images hide caption Meanwhile, 13 players will represent the U.S.
− Other notable debuts include defenders Chris Richards and Miles Robinson, both of whom missed out in 2022 due to injury.
+ in the World Cup for the first time, including the PSV Eindhoven forward Ricardo Pepi, who was widely regarded the biggest snub in 2022.
− The tournament begins in just over two weeks, with games hosted in 16 cities across the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
+ The El Paso native — one of two Mexican-Americans on the roster — was home in Texas running errands with his father on Friday when he received the message that he'd made the team. "My first reaction was just a lot of chills going through my body. I couldn't really believe it. Then I showed my father and he had the same reaction," Pepi said.
− It will mark the first time that World Cup games are being held in the U.S.
+ 2026 World Cup: North America 39 World Cup teams will be based in the U.S.
− since 1994, when the tournament helped spark Americans' interest in soccer, leading to the formation of Major League Soccer and widespread participation in youth soccer.
+ Here's which squad will be closest to you "Every single stage of my career so far has helped me," he added — even the snub in 2022. "Everything builds up that fire inside you and prepares you for moments like this." Other notable debuts include defenders Richards and Miles Robinson, both of whom missed out in 2022 due to injury.
− Full USMNT World Cup roster: Goalkeepers (3): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire, 0 caps/0 goals), Matt Freese (New York City, 14/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution, 53/0) Defenders (10): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew, 18/1), Sergiño Dest (PSV, 37/2), Alex Freeman (Villarreal, 15/2), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse, 27/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC, 80/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, 36/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 52/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati, 38/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 24/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic, 6/0) Midfielders (4): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth, 52/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps, 11/1), Weston McKennie (Juventus, 64/12), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders, 45/0) Attacking midfielders/wingers (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United, 57/9), Christian Pulisic (Milan, 84/32), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 36/9), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen, 28/3), Tim Weah (Marseille, 49/7), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América, 13/2) Strikers (3): Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco, 25/8), Ricardo Pepi (PSV, 35/13), Haji Wright (Coventry City, 20/7) Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor
+ Goalkeepers (3): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire, 0 caps/0 goals), Matt Freese (New York City, 14/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution, 53/0) Defenders (10): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew, 18/1), Sergiño Dest (PSV, 37/2), Alex Freeman (Villarreal, 15/2), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse, 27/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC, 80/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace, 36/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham, 52/4), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati, 38/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 24/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic, 6/0) Midfielders (4): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth, 52/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps, 11/1), Weston McKennie (Juventus, 64/12), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders, 45/0) Attacking midfielders/wingers (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United, 57/9), Christian Pulisic (Milan, 84/32), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 36/9), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen, 28/3), Tim Weah (Marseille, 49/7), Alejandro Zendejas (Club América, 13/2) Strikers (3): Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco, 25/8), Ricardo Pepi (PSV, 35/13), Haji Wright (Coventry City, 20/7) Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor