USMNT’s 2026 World Cup squad leaks with several surprise inclusions

These are the players Mauricio Pochettino is expected to call up for the United States squad ahead of the biggest tournament in world football, with the US set to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

There is huge anticipation surrounding the 26-man roster of the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted on home soil. Surprises quickly emerged from Argentine head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s selection, with Olympique Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann standing out as the major omission.

WHAT HAPPENED TO TESSMANN AND WHO REPLACES HIM?

According to U.S. outlet The Athletic and confirmed by the British newspaper The Guardian, Pochettino has decided to leave out the 24-year-old midfielder, despite him starting 22 of 29 Ligue 1 matches in France and featuring in five UEFA Europa League games, all from the start.

His absence is largely linked to a muscle strain suffered in early May, which forced him to miss the final stretch of the French season, where he had become a key figure for his club.

In his place, Mexican-American winger Alejandro Zendejas is expected to be included, also a standout performer for Club América in Mexico.

OTHER SURPRISES IN THE SQUAD

Zendejas is joined by fellow Mexican-American Ricardo Pepi, a striker who missed out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar but now earns his spot thanks to impressive performances with PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Salvadoran-American midfielder Cristian Roldan of Seattle Sounders also features as one of the revelations, along with centre-backs Miles Robinson and Chris Richards, both of whom missed the previous World Cup due to injury.

Another notable omission alongside Tessmann is Mexican-American midfielder Diego Luna, who also misses out due to a muscle injury.

The squad will be officially confirmed on Tuesday afternoon at Pier 17, on the banks of the East River in Manhattan, New York. Are more surprises on the way?

KEY NAMES IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Christian Pulisic leads the team alongside striker Folarin Balogun of AS Monaco.

The United States will play two warm-up friendlies before their World Cup debut, facing Senegal on Sunday, May 31 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Germany on June 6 in Chicago, Illinois.

At the tournament, the USMNT has been drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. They will face them on June 12, 19, and 25 respectively, with the first and third matches taking place in Inglewood, California, and the second in Seattle, Washington.