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As the 2026 World Cup edges closer, the United States — one of the tournament’s co-hosts — have intensified their preparations with the announcement of their latest squad.

The USMNT, under the leadership of former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino, have named their team for the March international fixtures as they gear up to host football’s grandest event later this year.

Having automatically qualified as co-hosts, the United States will enter the World Cup with one of the youngest squads in the competition. The team endured a painful defeat in the Gold Cup final against fellow co-hosts Mexico last year. Although their recent performances — including an emphatic 5-1 win over Uruguay — have shown improvement, they are still not considered among the top favourites to lift the trophy.

Pochettino, who took charge in 2024, has largely maintained consistency in his selections but will once again be without key players Sergino Dest and Tyler Adams due to injuries.

Fulham full-back Antonee Robinson, who missed the previous squad through injury, makes his return after regaining full fitness in December. Atletico Madrid midfielder Johnny Cardoso and former Borussia Dortmund star Giovanni Reyna are also back in the fold after recovering from their respective setbacks.

With an elite coach guiding them and ample time for tactical refinement, the USMNT will aim to make a deep run in front of their home fans in 2026.

Goalkeepers: Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire)

Defenders: Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Maximilian Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Auston Trusty (Celtic)

Midfielders: Weston McKennie (Juventus), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen), Johnny Cardoso (Atletico Madrid), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough), Tanner Tessmann (Lyon), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps)

Forwards: Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Timothy Weah (Marseille), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Patrick Agyemang (Derby County)

Upcoming Fixtures:

March 28, 2026: United States vs Belgium, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

March 31, 2026: United States vs Portugal, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia

May 31, 2026: United States vs Senegal, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina

June 6, 2026: United States vs Germany, Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois

June 12, 2026: United States vs Paraguay, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

June 19, 2026: United States vs Australia, Lumen Field, Seattle, Washington

Recent Results:

November 18: United States 5-1 Uruguay, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida

October 15: United States 2-1 Australia, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Colorado

October 11: United States 2-1 Ecuador, Q2 Stadium, Texas

September 10: United States 2-0 Japan, Lower.com Field, Ohio

September 4: United States 0-2 South Korea, Sports Illustrated Stadium, New Jersey

July 7: United States 1-2 Mexico, NRG Stadium, Texas

July 3: United States 2-1 Guatemala, Energizer Park, Missouri

June 30: United States 2-2 Costa Rica (4-3 pens), U.S. Bank Stadium, Minnesota

June 23: United States 2-1 Haiti, AT&T Stadium, Texas

June 20: Saudi Arabia 0-1 United States, Q2 Stadium, Texas

June 15: United States 5-0 Trinidad and Tobago, PayPal Park, California

June 11: United States 0-4 Switzerland, GEODIS Park, Tennessee

June 7: United States 1-2 Turkey, Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, Connecticut

March 23: Canada 2-1 United States, SoFi Stadium, California

March 20: United States 0-1 Panama, SoFi Stadium, California

January 23: United States 3-0 Costa Rica, Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando

January 18: United States 3-1 Venezuela, Chase Stadium, Florida

Since assuming charge in 2024, Mauricio Pochettino has experienced both highs and lows in his first international role. The team has struggled against higher-ranked sides, suffering defeats to Mexico, South Korea, Turkey and Switzerland, while also falling short in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals and third-place match against Panama and Canada.

Nevertheless, despite the absence of key figures such as Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, and Weston McKennie, the United States managed an impressive run to the Gold Cup final, where they lost 2-1 to Mexico after taking an early lead.

With two wins in their last three matches — against Australia and Japan — and a 1-1 draw with Ecuador, Pochettino will be optimistic that his team can gather momentum ahead of the FIFA World Cup.

While Christian Pulisic often steals the spotlight, Tyler Adams continues to prove that he is one of the USMNT’s most vital players. The New York-born midfielder, who came through the New York Red Bulls academy, moved to Europe in 2019 to join RB Leipzig. There, he established himself among the Bundesliga’s top defensive midfielders alongside Joshua Kimmich and Diadie Samassekou before short spells at Leeds United and Bournemouth.

Renowned for his fierce tackling, composure on the ball, and leadership, Adams’ influence both on and off the pitch makes him indispensable for club and country. Having captained the team at the previous FIFA World Cup, he is expected to play a key role once again when the tournament kicks off on home soil in 2026.

Written by Isaac Stacey Stronge, Freelance Sports Writer