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The United States revealed its roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, but not without some controversy and debate.
Midfielders Gio Reyna and Sebastian Berhalter were included in US coach Mauricio Pochettino’s 26-man World Cup list on Tuesday, alongside winger Alejandro Zendejas, while midfielders Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann were left out.
Defender Sergiño Dest, midfielder Tyler Adams and forward Haji Wright were added after missing the March friendlies due to injuries. Zendejas was left off the March roster after a knee injury last fall.
Players were announced in order of uniform number on the roof of Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport, with the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop.
“Disrespectful” to mention omissions from the list
Asked about some notable omissions from the squad, Pochettino dismissed the line of questioning, stating that focusing on omissions undermines players who have earned their place.
“I think we can’t talk about the players who are not on the list, because I think it’s very disrespectful to the player who made the list,” Pochettino said. “Because… we’re going to talk about players who aren’t on the list… and that’s very disrespectful to me.”
The manager took full responsibility for the final cuts, noting that adding one fan favorite would only spark debate over another.
“It was my decision to choose this 26 and now we have to respect it,” Pochettino said. “If I include one, for sure, you’re going to ask me for another one… we really think this team, these 26 players are the right players.”
Pochettino stressed that the selection process was the culmination of an exhaustive 18-month research period aimed at building a team capable of competing with the best in the world.
“We have worked very hard, for a year and a half or more, to try to get to this moment in the best conditions with all the information necessary to try to make the best decision,” he said. “It’s impossible to be fair to everyone, but they seem to be making the best decision to be competitive on their end and try to win.”
Who made the cut?
(Photo by Vincent Carchietta/USSF/Getty Images)
Among the most notable inclusions is Reyna, the son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna. Reyna was almost fired from the 2022 World Cup by then-coach Gregg Berhalter for lack of effort and has made just four starts this season for Borussia Mönchengladbach – none since December 19.
Despite limited playing time, Reyna is considered a “special player” by Pochettino.
Sebastian Berhalter, the 25-year-old son of the former coach, was also retained. He made his national team debut last June and became the Americans’ best corner shooter.
Players who made the March list included goalkeeper Patrick Schulte as well as Tessmann and fellow midfielder Aidan Morris.
Luna missed the March matches with a knee injury after playing 17 of 18 international matches last year, but ultimately could not get his place back.
The U.S. team has also been hampered by health issues, with two players sidelined with recent injuries: midfielder Johnny Cardoso underwent surgery on his right ankle and forward Patrick Agyemang is suffering from a torn right Achilles tendon. Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is also out as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles suffered in October.
FIFA World Cup 2026: how to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34), with each game streamed live and on-demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, along with the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
