The U.S. men’s national team unveiled its roster for the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, finalizing the squad that will try to capture the country its first title in the world’s biggest soccer tournament.
The list includes 2022 World Cup stars Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams, as well as first-timers like Folarin Balogun and Matt Freese. Tanner Tessmann and Diego Luna were notably left off the roster.
“It definitely is starting to feel real,” Pulisic said on the Fox broadcast after the announcement. “I’m so thankful for all of this incredible support. It really fuels us, so we appreciate all of you showing out.”
Pulisic, the face of the USMNT, was asked about feeling pressure heading into his second World Cup.
“I don’t have a clear answer,” he said. “All I can do is give my best. I’m so proud to represent this country, and I’m going to do my best to make you guys proud.”
The World Cup will be played in the U.S. for the first time since 1994, this time with matches also taking place in Mexico and Canada. The last time the U.S. played host, it advanced to the round of 16, losing 1-0 to Brazil.
The 2026 tournament will kick off June 11, when Mexico hosts South Africa in Mexico City. The U.S. will play its first game June 12, taking on Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
The World Cup will be broadcast in Spanish on Telemundo and in English on Fox.
Alejandro Zendejas, a dual national, committed to the U.S. over Mexico in March 2023. The winger’s decision paid dividends Tuesday when his name was called.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he told NBC News. “I was just super in shock, grateful. I actually started crying when I found out I was on the roster.”
Though the U.S. has thrived in many international sports, the men’s soccer team is still looking for consistent success in the World Cup. Since 1990, it has advanced beyond the round of 16 only once, a run to the quarterfinals in South Korea and Japan in 2002.
After it failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament, the U.S. made it to the knockout stage in 2022 but lost 3-1 to the Netherlands. It has made a coaching change since the last World Cup, with Gregg Berhalter having been fired in July 2024. The team then brought in former Argentina defender and Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino to lead it.
In 24 matches under Pochettino, the U.S. has 13 wins, two draws and nine losses.
Pochettino said on the Fox broadcast that it was “so, so difficult to pick 26 (players) ... but now we need to move on. That is soccer, and we need to look forward for the future and the World Cup.”
The U.S. will start the tournament in Group D, along with Paraguay, Australia and Turkey. Group play is scheduled from June 11 to June 27, with the knockout stage beginning June 28.
The final will be July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Pochettino was asked about the long odds of the U.S.’ winning its first World Cup.
“Why not us? Why not us?” he said. “It’s important to really believe. In this sport, the first thing is to believe and then to work really hard to try to earn what you want.”
Striker Ricardo Pepi, playing in his second World Cup, said he knows there is “a lot of adversity that’s going to be thrown at us.”
“But I feel we’re built for it,” he told NBC News. “We have a team of a lot of experience, and we also have some young guys that are ready to fight and give all for our country.”
Here is the full USMNT roster:
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