US players on World Cup roster bubble face soccer's ultimate FOMO

Coach Mauricio Pochettino will select 26 players from a pool of 35-40 for the US World Cup team, leaving many anxious about making the final roster.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 8:22pm

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American soccer players will be anxiously awaiting coach Mauricio Pochettino's announcement of the 26-player U.S. World Cup roster, which will be selected from a pool of 35-40 players. Pochettino has said the process of choosing the final roster will be "painful" as many talented players will miss out on making the team.

Why it matters

Making the World Cup roster is a career-defining moment for any soccer player, and the competition for spots on the U.S. team is fierce. Players on the bubble will face immense pressure and anxiety as they wait to see if they've made the final 26-man squad, which could make or break their international careers.

The details

Pochettino will have to trim down a pool of 35-40 players to just 26 for the World Cup roster. He has acknowledged this will be a difficult process, saying "it's going to be painful" to leave talented players off the final team.

  • The World Cup roster announcement is expected in early June 2026, about 8 weeks before the start of the tournament.

The players

Mauricio Pochettino

The head coach of the U.S. men's national soccer team who will be responsible for selecting the 26-player World Cup roster.

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What they’re saying

“it's going to be painful”

— Mauricio Pochettino, U.S. men's national team head coach

What’s next

The U.S. men's national team will hold a training camp in May 2026 to finalize preparations for the World Cup, with the 26-player roster to be announced shortly after.

The takeaway

The intense competition for spots on the U.S. World Cup team will create immense pressure and anxiety for players on the roster bubble, as Pochettino faces the difficult task of trimming a deep player pool down to just 26 for the final squad.