LOS ANGELES – The U.S. Men’s National Team will kick off its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on Friday, June 10 against Paraguay. Returning to the World Cup after a Round of 16 finish in 2022, the USA will face Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye in Group D.
Kickoff for USA-Paraguay from Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. is 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET on FOX and Telemundo.
U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM - FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB/COUNTRY; CAPS/GOALS)
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Chris Brady (Chicago Fire; 1/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 15/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 54/0)
DEFENDERS (10): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 20/1), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 39/3), Alex Freeman (Villarreal/ESP; 17/2), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse/FRA; 29/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 82/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 36/3), Antonee Robinson (Fulham/ENG; 54/5), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 40/3), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 26/0), Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 8/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth/ENG; 54/2), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps; 13/1), Weston McKennie (Juventus/ITA; 66/12), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach/GER; 38/9), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders; 47/0), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen/GER; 30/3)
FORWARDS (7): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 58/9), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 27/9), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 37/13), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 86/33), Tim Weah (Olympique Marseille/FRA; 51/7), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 20/7), Alex Zendejas (Club América/MEX; 14/2)
USA SCHEDULE - 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP
| Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Time (PT) |
TV Info |
| Friday, June 12 |
Paraguay |
Los Angeles Stadium; Inglewood, Calif. |
6 p.m. |
FOX, Telemundo |
| Friday, June 19 |
Australia |
Seattle Stadium; Seattle, Wash. |
12 p.m. |
FOX, Telemundo |
| Thursday, June 25 |
Türkiye |
Los Angeles Stadium; Inglewood, Calif. |
7 p.m. |
FOX, Telemundo |
A BAKER’S DOZEN BACK ON THE BIG STAGE
Thirteen players – half the roster – were part of the U.S. squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, tying the U.S. mark for the highest number of returnees between consecutive World Cups, first set between the 1994 and 1998 editions. The veterans of the Qatar tournament include all three goalscorers: Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah and Haji Wright.
Eight players on the FIFA World Cup roster started all four matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup: Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson, Matt Turner and Tim Weah.
The complete list of players to make consecutive World Cup rosters: Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Tim Ream, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Cristian Roldan, Joe Scally, Matt Turner, Tim Weah and Haji Wright.
NO STONE UNTURNED
Since taking over in September of 2024, Pochettino and the coaching staff have gone deep into the National Team player pool to identify and give opportunities to players seeking a coveted spot on the World Cup roster. In total, 62 players have earned a cap under Pochettino since October 2024. They came from 16 different leagues in 12 different countries. On the scoring front, 22 different players have contributed to the 42 goals scored under Pochettino, with Malik Tillman, Haji Wright and Folarin Balogun each tallying three goals during his tenure.
USA ROSTER NOTES
- As of the opening match against Paraguay on June 12, the 26-player roster will hold an average age of 26 years and 332 days, ranking the 2026 roster as the fifth youngest the United States has sent to a World Cup. The four youngest: 1990 (24 years, 25 days), 2022 (25 years, 216 days), 1930 (26 years, 226 days), 1994 (26 years, 285 days).
- All 26 players on the roster earned caps in official competitions this cycle.
- With 86 caps, Christian Pulisic is the senior-most player on the roster.
- Following Pulisic in terms of seniority are fellow 2022 World Cup veterans Tim Ream (82), Weston McKennie (66), Brenden Aaronson (58), Matt Turner (54), Tyler Adams (54), Antonee Robinson (54) and Tim Weah (51).
- Both from the Los Angeles area, Roldan and Haji Wright will also have the opportunity to appear in World Cup matches near their hometowns when the USA faces Paraguay on June 12, and Túrkiye on June 19, at Los Angeles Stadium. Roldan could also become the first USMNT to appear in a World Cup at his club’s stadium in Seatte.
- Players represent clubs in 10 different countries: USA/Canada - MLS (8), England (5), France (3), Germany (3), Italy (2), Netherlands (2), Mexico (1), Scotland (1) andSpain (1).
- The players represent hometowns in 12 different states: New York (4), California (3), Pennsylvania (3), Texas (3), New Jersey (2), Alabama (1), Delaware (1), Florida (1), Illinois (1), Massachusetts (1), Missouri (1) andOhio (1).
- Four other players have hometowns in three different foreign countries: England (2), Germany (1) and Netherlands (1).
- With a goal and two assists at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Pulisic is one of only four USMNT players to collect three or more goal contributions in a single edition of the tournament, joining Bert Patenaude (4 goals - 1930), Brian McBride (2 goals, 1 assist - 2002) and Landon Donovan (3 goals – 2010).
- Tim Weah and Haji Wright join Pulisic as the three players on the roster that have scored a World Cup goal. In 2022, Weah opened the scoring in the USA’s 1-1 draw with Wales to open the World Cup, Pulisic provided the crucial game-winner in the 1-0 victory against IR Iran, and Wright scored in the 3-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the Round of 16.
- Two clubs have a pair of players on the USMNT World Cup roster: Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven); Gio Reyna and Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
- Having recently won the Scottish Premiership with Celtic, center back Auston Trusty becomes the second player from a Scottish club named to a U.S. World Cup roster.
- The U.S. Way has served the 2026 World Cup squad well. Fourteen of the 26 players were part of U.S. Soccer’s U-14 Boys Talent Identification Program and 23 of the 26 have played for a U.S. Youth National Team. In total, 12 players also represented the United States at a Youth World Cup: Tyler Adams (2015 U-17, 2017 U-20), Sergiño Dest (2017 U-17, 2019 U-20), Mark McKenzie (2019 U-20), Ricardo Pepi (2019 U-17), Christian Pulisic (2015 U-17), Gio Reyna (2019 U-17), Chris Richards (2019 U-20), Joe Scally (2019 U-17), Auston Trusty (2015 U-17, 2017 U-20), Tim Weah (2017 U-17, 2019 U-20), Haji Wright (2015 U-17), Alex Zendejas (2015 U-17).
USA-PARAGUAY
- Friday marks the 10th meeting all-time between the USA and Paraguay. It’s the second meeting at the FIFA World Cup, dating back to the inaugural 1930 edition in which USMNT forward Bert Patenaude made history by scoring the first hat trick by any player at the FIFA World Cup, lifting the USMNT to a 3-0 victory.
- The USA and Paraguay last clashed on Nov. 16, 2025, in Chester, Pa., in a 2-1 victory with goals from Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun.
- The USMNT maintains a 5W-2L-2D record against Paraguay.
PARAGUAY ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; CAPS/GOALS)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Roberto Fernández (Cerro Porteño/PAR; 37/0), Orlando Gil (San Lorenzo/ARG; 2/0), Gastón Olveira (Olympia/PAR; 3/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Omar Alderete (Sunderland/ENG; 35/3), Júnior Alonso (Atlético Mineiro/BRA; 70/3), Fabián Balbuena (Grêmio/BRA; 47/2), Juan José Cáceres (Dynamo Moscow/RUS;16/0), José Canale (Lanús/ARG, 2/0), Gustavo Gómez (Palmeiras/BRA; 89/4), Alexandro Maidana (Talleres/ARG; 2/1), Gustavo Velázquez (Cerro Porteño/PAR; 13/1)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Damián Bobadilla (São Paulo/BRA; 19/1), Gustavo Caballero (Portsmouth/ENG; 2/1), Andrés Cubas (Vancouver Whitecaps; 32/0), Matías Galarza (Atlanta United/USA; 15/3), Diego Gomez (Brighton & Hove Albion/ENG; 23/3), Maurício (Palmeiras/BRA; 2/0), Braian Ojeda (Orlando City/USA; 17/0), Alejandro Romero Gamarra (Al Ain/UAE; 35/5), Ramón Sosa (Palmeiras/BRA; 29/1)
FORWARDS (5): Gabriel Avalos (Independiente/ARG; 22/2), Alex Arce (Independiente Rivadavia/ARG; 14/1), Julio Enciso (Strasbourg/FRA; 32/4), Isidro Pitta (Red Bull Bragantino/BRA; 5/0), Antonio Sanabria (Cremonese/ITA; 48/7)
IN FOCUS: PARAGUAY
WORLD CUP HISTORY
Paraguay returns to the World Cup for the first time in 16 years, making its ninth appearance. The last meeting between the U.S. and Paraguay was on November 15, 2025 in an international friendly in Chester, Pa. The match ended in a 2-1 U.S. victory … En route to qualification Paraguay defeated CONMEBOL giants Brazil 1-0 and Argentina 2-1... Midfielder Miguel Almiron plays for MLS club Atlanta United where he was teammates with the recently retired former U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan, who was teammates with current USMNT defender Miles Robinson … In 2010 Paraguay recorded its best finish making it to the quarterfinals against eventual World Cup champion Spain … Alongside the United States, Paraguay was one of 13 teams to participate in the inaugural 1930 World Cup … Former forward Roque Santana Crus is Paraguay’s all-time leading goal scorer with 32 goals.
PARAGUAY HEAD COACH GUSTAVO ALFARO
Paraguay is led by 63-year-old Argentine Gustavo Alfaro. Alfaro—who transitioned to coaching Atlético de Rafaela in 1992 after a four-year playing career with the club—has coached several clubs and national teams across the globe. Alfaro spent the majority of his career coaching Arsenal de Sarandí, leading the Argentine side to victory in the CONMEBOL Sudamericana (2007), Primera División (2012 Clausura) and Copa Argentina (2012-13). In addition to coaching Boca Juniors (2018-20), San Lorenzo de Almagro (2005) and Rosario Central (2008-09), Alfaro has coached two additional national teams: Ecuador (2020-23) and Costa Rica (2023-24), guiding the former during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
