Projecting the USMNT’s World Cup squad: Luna over Reyna? Turner starts at GK?

We are still over a year away from the 2026 World Cup, but it’s never too early to take stock of the players who will represent the United States men’s national team at the planet’s biggest sporting event. 

Under USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino, there will be some obvious choices for who makes up the 26-player roster. But expect some roles to be up for grabs, especially if this team continues to struggle amid a shocking four-game losing streak going into the Gold Cup.

And that could lead to plenty of surprises when the squad is officially named next year.

If the World Cup started today, which players would make up the starting XI? How different would the squad look from the one that reached the round of 16 at Qatar 2022? Let’s go position by position and see who is getting that call. 

GOALKEEPERS

GK: Matt Turner 
Backups: Zack Steffen, Patrick Schulte 
Just missed out: Matt Freese, Diego Kochen

With just a year to go, Turner — the USMNT’s starter since 2022 — still hasn’t faced a serious challenge for his job despite his lack of regular playing time with Crystal Palace. Steffen was supposed to prove that at this month’s Gold Cup, but hurt his knee and will miss the tournament. With Turner expected to find a new club where he’ll be the No. 1 later this summer, he remains in pole position in goal for the next World Cup.

Upgrade from ‘22?: Yes. Turner now has World Cup and Premier League experience, something he didn’t have four years back. And he wasn’t starting at club level then, either. But a potential move from Crystal Palace to French club Lyon should give him time to increase his minutes.

DEFENDERS

(R-L): Sergino Dest, Chris Richards, Miles Robinson, Antonee “Jedi” Robinson
Backups: Alex Freeman, Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally, Tim Ream, Walker Zimmerman
Just missed out: Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, John Tolkin, Auston Trusty

Dest and Jedi are locks on the outside, if healthy. Same for center back Richards. But who will be Richards’ partner in the middle come next summer? Right now, Miles Robinson is probably the front-runner by default. But that definitely could change between now and next June.

Upgrade from ‘22?: TBD. Jedi has certainly improved since Qatar, establishing himself as one of the best left backs in the Premier League. Amid a solid season with Crystal Palace that included winning an FA Cup, Richards is probably an upgrade over 2022 starter Zimmerman. But Ream was at the height of his powers in Qatar, and Dest has yet to return to full fitness since undergoing ACL surgery 13 months ago.

MIDFIELDERS

Holding midfielders: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie
Backups: Johnny Cardoso, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessman 
Just missed out: Gianluca Busio, Aidan Morris 

Adams and McKennie didn’t have the best showing during March’s Nations League finals, but Pochettino probably needs both stalwarts on the field if the Americans are to make a deep run next summer. That said, Cardoso could nudge one of those two to the bench if he continues to improve at pace — and if he can ever replicate his form in Spain’s LaLiga while wearing the USA crest. 

Upgrade from ‘22?: Yes. While Adams has been plagued by injury throughout the 2026 cycle, he was excellent for Premier League side Bournemouth last season. At 27, he’ll just be entering his prime next summer. The same goes for McKennie, who has been one of the best midfielders in Italy for two consecutive seasons with Juventus.

Attacking midfielder: Diego Luna 
Backup: Gio Reyna
Just missed out: Jack McGlynn 

One of vanishingly few bright spots in March, Luna appears poised to be the USMNT’s main playmaker during the Gold Cup with Reyna with Borussia Dortmund at the Club World Cup. Would Reyna be in this spot where he available? Maybe not, given his dearth of playing time with BVB last season. But we’re expecting him to find a new club where he’s able to feature regularly before the World Cup.

Upgrade from ‘22?: N/A. Gregg Berhalter didn’t really have a playmaker in the middle four years ago; the then-USMNT coach paired Adams and McKennie with more of a box-to-box type in Yunus Musah. It showed, as the buildup to all three of the Americans’ goals in Qatar began on the flanks.

FORWARDS

Wingers (R-L): Tim Weah, Christian Pulisic
Backups: Brenden Aaronson, Malik Tillman, Haji Wright
Just missed out: Paxten Aaronson, Damion Downs, Quinn Sullivan

Obvious on Pulisic. Another shoo-in starter when healthy, Weah should slide into the same role he manned in 2022 when he scored the Americans’ first goal in Qatar. Aaronson spent last season in central midfield for Leeds United, but he’s likely to return to the flank now that Leeds is back in the Premier League. Tillman can cement his USMNT with a strong Gold Cup showing and then another stellar campaign with Dutch champs PSV. Meantime, Wright — another World Cup goalscorer – can also fill in at striker. 

Upgrade from ‘22?: Yes. After the move to AC Milan, Pulisic is coming off the best two seasons of his career by far and could take another step forward in 2025-26. Meanwhile, Weah jumped up a level when he went from France’s Lille to Juventus in 2023. He’ll be even more experienced come next summer after participating in the FIFA Club World Cup and another UEFA Champions League campaign.

Striker: Ricardo Pepi
Backups: Folarin Balogun, Patrick Agyemang 
Just missed out: Josh Sargent, Brian White 

Pepi won the job late last year with a flurry of goals in Pochettino’s first two camps, then continued his prolific ways for PSV before hurting his knee. Balogun, for whom injury prevented his participation under Pochettino at all, should return to the mix this season. Then there’s Agyemang, who came almost out of nowhere to become a U.S. regular in 2025.

Upgrade from ‘22?: Yes. Berhalter started three different players in this spot four years ago. If Pepi picks up where he left off before injuring his knee in a Champions League match in Liverpool last winter— Pepi scored the winner before leaving the field  — the job should be his alone next summer. The rangy Texan’s goals-to-minutes ratio has been off the charts in two seasons with PSV, for whom he’s expected to start full-time his coming campaign.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports who has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.

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