USA VS. CUBA FOR A WORLD CUP TICKET
After two strong performances to kick off the Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers, the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team will take on Cuba for a berth to the FIFA U-17 World Cup on Saturday, Feb. 15 (8 p.m. ET; Fox Soccer Plus, ViX). The winner of each of the eight groups at the Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers advance to the newly-expanded 48-team World Cup, and the U.S. will top Group F with a win or tie against the Leones del Caribe.
The U.S. is aiming for a record 19th appearance on the world stage, while Cuba is seeking its third qualification all-time and first since 1991.
All tournament matches will be broadcast in English on Fox Sports platforms and on the Fox Sports app with corresponding authentication. The U.S. matches will be broadcast in Spanish on ViX. Fans can follow all the action from Costa Rica on ussoccer.com as well as U.S. Soccer Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2025 CONCACAF U-17 QUALIFIERS
USA – GROUP F SCHEDULE
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET)/Result | Location | Broadcast |
| Feb. 10, 2025 | U.S. Virgin Islands | W 22-0 | Estadio Nacional; San Jose, Costa Rica | -- |
| Feb. 12, 2025 | St. Kitts and Nevis | W 7-0 | Estadio Nacional; San Jose, Costa Rica | -- |
| Feb. 15, 2025 | Cuba | 8 p.m. ET | Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto; Alajuela, Costa Rica | Fox Soccer Plus, ViX |
USA VS. CUBA
- The U.S. is 7-0-2 all-time vs. Cuba at U-17 World Cup qualifying.
- The nations have only met in pool play, most recently in 2017. Current U.S. Men’s National Team players Indiana Vassilev, Bryan Reynolds and Tim Weah scored in a 6-2 classification group victory in Panama City to secure the USA’s World Cup ticket.
- Cuba reached the Round of 16 at the 2023 Concacaf U-17 Championship, finishing third in Group G behind Costa Rica and Jamaica. The Leones del Caribe fell 2-0 to Panama in the knockout stage.
- Cuba is aiming for its third U-17 World Cup appearance after participations in 1989 and 1991.
NEW TOURNAMENT FORMAT
The new Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers feature 35 teams drawn into eight groups (five of four teams, three of five teams) played across six different countries. No knockout stage will be contested. Each of the eight group winners will punch its ticket to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar.
GROUP F RESULTS
Monday, Feb. 10
Cuba 3, St. Kitts and Nevis 1
USA 22, U.S. Virgin Islands 0
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Cuba 6, U.S. Virgin Islands 3
USA 7, St. Kitts and Nevis 0
U.S. KEEPS ROLLING VS. SUGAR BOYZ
After a record-breaking performance to open the tournament against the U.S. Virgin Islands, the U-17 MNT continued its winning ways against St. Kitts and Nevis with a 7-0 victory. With four goals, forward Tanner Rosborough became the seventh U.S. player to score a hat trick at U-17 World Cup qualifying and the third at this edition. Forward Axel Uriostegui kicked off the scoring by jumping on a St. Kitts misplay in the 11th and midfielder Cristian Oliveira doubled the early lead in the 19th. After a pair from Rosborough, defender Enrique Martinez scored off a corner in the 58th before another corner teed up Rosborough’s third in the 69th. He added his fourth off a cross from Uriostegui in the 84th minute.
TWO GAMES, TWO WINS FOR CUBA
Cuba has also earned six points from its first two games, topping St. Kitts and Nevis, 3-1, and U.S. Virgin Islands, 6-3. In the opener vs. St. Kitts, the Sugar Boyz went up 1-0 just before halftime, but Cuba rallied after the break with three unanswered goals. Forward Lazaro Diaz equalized in the 76th and added another in the 83rd, while Cristian Bravo added an exclamation point in stoppage time.
Five different players scored for Cuba in its victory against the U.S. Virgin Islands, once again led by a brace from Diaz. The Leones del Caribe went up in the sixth minute on a goal from Ivan Pacheco and Brian Romero made it 2-0 going into the break. The Dashing Eagles pulled one back in the 46th, but Cuba put the game out of reach with Diaz’s brace in the 48th and 58th. The teams combined for four goals after the 90th minute to cap off the scoring.
2025 CONCACAF U-17 ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; U-17 CAPS/GOALS; HOMETOWN)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jack Kortkamp (Sporting KC; 2/0; Olathe, Kan.), William Mackay (Real Salt Lake; 1/0; Highland, Utah), Owen Pratt (LA Galaxy; 1/0; San Clemente, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Christopher Cupps (Chicago Fire FC; 3/0; Chicago, Ill.), Jordan Griffin (Philadelphia Union; 2/0; West Chester, Pa.), Pedro Guimaraes (Orange County SC; 5/1; Aliso Viejo, Calif.), Ramiz Hamouda (Birmingham Legion FC; 2/1; Lincoln, Neb.), Enrique Martinez (LA Galaxy; 4/1; Compton, Calif.), Gio Villa (Real Salt Lake; 5/0; Chicago, Ill.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Maximo Carrizo (New York City FC; 4/4; Greenwich, Conn.), Kellan LeBlanc (Philadelphia Union; 2/1; Royersford, Pa.), Luca Moisa (Real Salt Lake; 4/0; Las Vegas, Nev.), Cooper Sanchez (Atlanta United FC; 1/0; Holly Springs, Ga.), Cristiano Oliveira (New England Revolution; 2/1; Somerville, Mass.), Jude Terry (Los Angeles FC; 4/3; San Diego, Calif.)
FORWARDS (6): Chase Adams (Columbus Crew; 4/10; Naperville, Ill.), Lorenzo Cornelius (St. Louis City SC; 5/2; St. Peters, Mo.), Chance Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 5/2; Ceres, Calif.) Jamir Johnson (Philadelphia Union; 2/1; Huntsville, Ala.), Tanner Rosborough (New York Red Bulls; 1/4; McDonald, Pa.), Axel Uriostegui (Real Salt Lake; 2/1; Las Vegas, Nev.)
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Forward Tanner Rosborough’s four goals against St. Kitts and Nevis made him the seventh U.S. player to score a hat trick at U-17 World Cup qualifying and third at this edition. The previous triples were Chase Adams (2025 vs. U.S. Virgin Islands), Maximo Carrizo (2025 vs. U.S. Virgin Islands), Cruz Medina (2023 vs. Barbados), Gio Reyna (2019 vs. Guadeloupe), Joe Gallardo (2015 vs. Cuba) and Josh Perez (2015 vs. Guatemala).
- The USA’s 22-0 victory was its largest ever in a Men’s or Women’s World Cup qualifier at any level. The previous best result at Men’s U-17 qualifying was 8-0 vs. Guadeloupe at the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship, the previous best result at Men’s World Cup qualifying was 13-0 vs. U.S. Virgin Islands at the 2018 Concacaf U-20 Championship and the previous best overall was 20-0 vs. Grenada at the 2022 Concacaf Women’s U-17 Championship.
- Goalkeeper Owen Pratt is seeking his first U-17 cap vs. Cuba
- All 21 players on the roster were born in 2008.
- The squad features players from 15 clubs, including 13 from Major League Soccer.
- Real Salt Lake leads the contributors with four players, followed by three from the Philadelphia Union and two from the LA Galaxy.
- All 21 players have spent time in MLS NEXT and 16 have seen professional action in MLS NEXT Pro.
- Eight players are signed to MLS Homegrown contracts: goalkeepers Jack Kortkamp and Owen Pratt, defender Gio Villa, midfielders Maximo Carrizo, Luca Moisa and Jude Terry plus forwards Chance Cowell and Tanner Rosborough.
- Two players come from USL Championship clubs: Orange County SC defender Pedro Guimaraes and Birmingham Legion FC defender Ramiz Hamouda.
- Forward Chance Cowell is the younger brother of USMNT forward Cade Cowell.
- The players hail from 12 states, led by five from California and three each from Illinois and Pennsylvania.
- Six players logged more than 800 minutes in MLS NEXT Pro last season. Adams was the only player born in 2008 or younger to score nine goals during the 2024 campaign.
- Pratt, Moisa and Adams were all named MLS NEXT All-Stars in 2024.
- The LA Galaxy’s Pratt and Martinez played key roles in helping their club’s U-17 squad win MLS NEXT Cup last summer. Pratt was named Best Goalkeeper at the competition.
ROAD TO COSTA RICA
This one-year U-17 MNT cycle kicked off in September 2024 at the Jezek Cup in the Czech Republic and the team gathered again for a domestic camp in November. Ten players have been called up for all three training camps: Chase Adams, Carrizo, Cowell, Christopher Cupps, Guimaraes, Kortkamp, Enrique Martinez, Moisa, Terry and Gio Villa.
At the Jezek Cup, the U-17s played up against U-18 squads from Germany, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The U.S. went 1-1-1, highlighted by a 4-0 win against Czech Republic on goals from midfielder Jude Terry and forward Lorenzo Cornelius. Cornelius scored again in the USA’s 1-1 draw with Slovakia.
Prior to the start of the U-17 cycle, this age group had three training camps together as the U-16 Boys’ National Team. Guimaraes and Villa have been a part of all six gatherings over the last two years. As the U-16s, the U.S. drew Uruguay 1-1 and Argentina 2-2 last spring in Buenos Aires. Midfielder Luca Moisa netted the USA’s lone goal vs. Uruguay.