The World Cup dream has officially begun in the Big Apple. Under the radiant sunshine of Pier 17 in Manhattan, and with the iconic New York skyline as a witness, Mauricio Pochettino presented the final list of the 26 U.S. warriors who will seek to make history at home.
And the co-host team doesn’t just want to be a guest of honor; it wants the throne. These are the players who appear in the U.S. squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Pulisic and McKennie: The pillars of “Poche”.
The Twenty-Six. #USMNT x @Google pic.twitter.com/mb6H9cAJox
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) May 26, 2026
As expected, the list is headed by “Captain America” Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), who arrives in the best moment of his career, and Juventus’ lung of Juventus, Weston McKennie.
The two of them, along with international stars such as Gio Reyna and Tim Weah, form the basis of a team that mixes European experience with a hunger for glory on American soil.
“We have a team that can be the surprise,” exclaimed fans during the ‘roster reveal’, an event that transformed Downtown Manhattan into a veritable party of soccer, music and hope.
Complete list
Remember the names.
Our 26 for 2026. pic.twitter.com/dtbF8CP4zV
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) May 27, 2026
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady, Matt Freese, Matt Turner.
Defenders: Alex Freema, Antonee Robinson, Auston Trusty, Chris Richards, Mark McKenzie, Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest, Tim Ream, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally.
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson, Cristian Roldan, Gio Reyna, Sebastian Berhalter, Malik Tillman, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie.
Attackers: Alejandro Zendejas, Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, Haji Wright, Ricardo Pepi, Tim Weah.
World Cup on TV or at the stadium?
Hit the gas. No stopping.
🎶 “Won’t Stop” by Gunna pic.twitter.com/XSCKK6DxRY
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) May 26, 2026
Not everything is a party. Despite the enthusiasm, the reality of the pockets worries the fans.
With prices for transportation to MetLife Stadium reaching $150 and presale tickets skyrocketing, many fans, such as Mexico’s Jaime Marzana, admit that they prefer to travel to the Azteca Stadium or watch on television.
“When I saw that the train – to MetLife Stadium at the New York/New Jersey venue – was going to cost $150, I was discouraged. Going by car to the stadium is chaos, and by bus it must be too. This time I decided to watch it on TV and wait to go to Mexico,” he added.
However, New York City has thrown a lifeline: Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a lottery of 1,000 tickets at only $50 (including transportation).
The fever is such that the raffle receives up to 50,000 applications per day – luck also plays this World Cup!
The roadmap to glory
𝐓𝐢𝐦’𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 ! 🇺🇸🌎
𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗵 will represent the United States at the 2026 World Cup on home soil 👏
🇺🇸 vs 🇵🇾 — June 13, 3:00 AM
🇺🇸 vs 🇦🇺 — June 19, 9:00 PM
🇹🇷 vs 🇺🇸 — June 26, 4:00 AM pic.twitter.com/XVpEeERmhK– Olympique de Marseille 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@OM_English) May 26, 2026
The United States, seeded in Group D, will have an exciting road ahead:
June 12: Debut against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium (Los Angeles).
June 19: Duel against Australia at Lumen Field (Seattle).
June 25: Group closing against Turkey, returning to the warmth of California.
Before the big match, Pochettino’s team will play high-caliber friendlies against Senegal and Germany, looking to fine-tune the pieces of a team that promises to be the revelation of the tournament.
Filed under: USA call-up for the 2026 World Cup
With information from EFE
