USMNT Roster Decisions Loom as World Cup Approaches

Mauricio Pochettino must finalize his 26-player World Cup squad with limited evaluation time left.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 2:36am

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After 18 months leading the U.S. national team, Mauricio Pochettino is now tasked with selecting his 26-player World Cup roster. Without additional training camps, the Argentine manager will closely monitor player performances at the club level over the next 50 days before unveiling his squad on May 26. Pochettino estimates he'll choose from a pool of 35-40 finalists, with some tough decisions ahead as he aims to build the best team for the tournament.

Why it matters

The World Cup is the pinnacle of international soccer, and Pochettino's roster decisions will have a major impact on the USMNT's chances of success in Qatar. With limited evaluation time remaining, he must carefully weigh factors like recent form, chemistry, and positional needs to assemble a squad capable of competing against the world's best teams.

The details

Pochettino will not hold any additional training camps before finalizing his World Cup roster. Instead, he will closely watch players with the national team and monitor their club performances over the final stretch of the season. The manager said he will only contact the 26 players who make the final squad, informing those who don't make the cut that they can reach out to him if they want an explanation.

  • Pochettino will unveil the USMNT's 26-player World Cup squad on May 26 in New York.
  • The team will then gather for a pre-World Cup camp starting on May 27 at the new national training center in Fayette County, Georgia.
  • The USMNT will play tune-up matches against Senegal on May 31 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Germany on June 6 in Chicago.
  • The team will then move to its World Cup base camp in Irvine, California, before the June 12 opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

The players

Mauricio Pochettino

The 54-year-old Argentine manager who has been in charge of the USMNT since 2024.

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What they’re saying

“Now they know there's going to be a competition. They know we are going to see every single week, every single game, and we are going to assess one year and a half or more, and we are going to make the decision about the 26 players being on the roster. Who will be there is going to be happy, who is not on the roster is going to be sad.”

— Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT Manager

“It's going to be painful, because in that process, always you create emotional links. It's going to be difficult to pick 26.”

— Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT Manager

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Pochettino faces a challenging task in selecting the USMNT's 26-player World Cup roster with limited evaluation time remaining. His decisions will have major implications for the team's chances in Qatar, as he must carefully weigh factors like recent form, chemistry, and positional needs to build the best possible squad.