US men's national soccer team (USMNT) finally shared its 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026 after days of leaks and speculation. The official announcement, which came on Tuesday (May 26) in New York City, confirmed the country’s biggest football names set to lead the charge on home soil. The tournament, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from June 11 to July 19, marks the biggest edition in World Cup history with 48 teams competing. As expected, Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams headline a balanced roster blending European experience and MLS energy. The announcement ended weeks of debate over final spots, which includes 13 players from 2022 World Cup squad and 13 new names in a blend of experience and youth.
Pochettino announces USMNT squad for FIFA World Cup 2026
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino made it clear that selection was not just about talent, but about balance, mentality, and tactical fit for tournament football. Speaking after unveiling the squad, he talked about the competitiveness of the selection process and the difficulty of cutting down a larger pool of players who had been monitored across multiple camps.
"It was one of the most difficult decisions because all the players gave everything," Pochettino said. "That is why I know how painful, was so painful, for me to make the decision, but that is my job. It's not only to dictate in the way that we are going to play, dictating the way that we want to be all together, but also it's the decision like this is to make the roster 26."
USA's schedule at FIFA World Cup 2026
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Co-hosting the event for the first time since 1994, the United States begin its World Cup campaign on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, before facing Australia on June 19 in Seattle and Turkey on June 25 back in California.
All three group-stage fixtures are expected to draw massive home crowds as the USMNT looks to capitalize on familiar conditions and strong support. With progression to the knockout rounds the minimum expectation, the schedule sets up a high-pressure but opportunity-rich path for Pochettino’s side.
USA FIFA World Cup 2026 squad
Goalkeepers (3): Chris Brady, Matt Freese, Matt Turner
Defenders (10): Max Arfsten, Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Tim Ream, Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Miles Robinson, Joe Scally, Auston Trusty
Midfielders (4): Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, Weston McKennie, Cristian Roldan
Attacking midfielders/wingers (6): Brenden Aaronson, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Malik Tillman, Tim Weah, Alejandro Zendejas
Strikers (3): Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Haji Wright
How to watch and stream FIFA World Cup 2026 in India
You can watch FIFA 2026 on Zee’s new Unite8 Sports network (Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD). Multiple group-stage matches that take place simultaneously will be aired across the four channels with English and Hindi feeds.
All games will also be streamed live on the Zee5 app and website (https://www.zee5.com/).
