On the Pitch
On the Pitch
Open Cup
On the Pitch
From the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup to the World
Meet the 78 players with Open Cup connections before their FIFA World Cup 2026™ adventure begins
With the most expansive FIFA World Cup upon us, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup representation has reached an all-time high. Seventy-eight players named to FIFA World Cup 2026™ rosters have either made an appearance or been named to a matchday squad in the U.S. Open Cup. Those 78 players represent 20 national teams and all six confederations.
THE BEST OF THE BEST
The most prominent names on the list of Open Cup alumni named to FIFA World Cup roster mainly hail from CONMEBOL and Concacaf. From South America, Argentine superstar and defending champion Lionel Messi is set to make his first World Cup appearance since making his Open Cup debut with Inter Miami CF in 2023.
Colombia veteran James Rodríguez returns to Los Cafeteros for his third FIFA World Cup and first since 2018.The 34-year-old midfielder enjoyed a quick stint with Minnesota United FC earlier this year, making two Open Cup appearances and six league appearances during his time in the Twin Cities.
Minnesota United FC midfielder and Colombia international James Rodríguez in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match against the San Jose Earthquakes on April 28, 2026 at PayPal Park in San Jose, Calif. (Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Atlanta United FC returnee and Paraguay winger Miguel Almirón is set for his FIFA World Cup debut, as La Albirroja face the USMNT in GroupD action on Friday. The former MLS Cup champion has made three Open Cup appearances, first against the Charleston Battery in 2017 and most recently against Chattanooga FC in 2026.
Additionally, two former MLS stars will hope to make an impact in the FIFA World Cup, as Argentina’s Thiago Almada and Paraguay’s Diego Gómez are set for action in the tournament. Almada made just two appearances in the Open Cup with Atlanta United back in 2022, while Gómez also made a pair of appearances in the tournament, helping Inter Miami reach the Final in 2023.
THE TITLE-WINNERS
Five players and one head coach at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ have won the U.S. Open Cup. Two members of the USMNT’s squad have won the Open Cup: Miles Robinson with Atlanta United in 2019 and Alex Freeman with Orlando City SC in 2022. Panama’s Adalberto Carrasquilla lifted the trophy with Houston Dynamo FC in 2023, and two members of Nashville SC’s victorious 2025 squad are set for FIFA World Cup debuts: Canada’s Jacob Shaffelburg and Iraq’s Ahmed Qasem.
Additionally, Canada head coach Jesse Marsch joined an elite club during his playing days in MLS by winning the Open Cup four times—first with D.C. United (1996) and then with Chicago Fire FC (1998, 2000, 2003).
Chicago Fire FC midfielder Jesse Marsch during the U.S. Open Cup Semifinal on Sept. 23, 2003 at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, Ill. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/MLS via Getty Images)
THE STARS OF TOMORROW
The expansion of the FIFA World Cup coupled with the continued evolution of lower-division leagues in the United States has opened the door for both current and former players from lower-division clubs to step onto the sport’s biggest stage. Twelve of the 78 Open Cup alumni participated in the Open Cup with a lower-division side.
Aside from the USMNT connections, Colombia midfielder Juan Portilla made two appearances with then NPSL-side Jacksonville Armada FC in 2018, Haiti forward Frantzdy Pierrot made three appearances with USL League Two’s Reading United AC in 2017 in which he scored back-to-back winning goals before earning his move to Europe, and Canada defender Joel Waterman helped then-USL League Two side Kitsap Pumas advance to the Round of 32 and claim the Open Division prize in 2016.
Lastly, a collection of recent USL Championship talents will be on display during the FIFA World Cup. Curaçao’s Jearl Margaritha made his Open Cup debut with Phoenix Rising FC in 2025, and New Zealand’s Jesse Randall made a pair of appearances with the Charleston Battery in the 2023 Open Cup before moving on to the A-League’s Auckland FC. Recent USL Championship title-winners Carlos Harvey (Phoenix Rising FC) and Duke Lacroix (Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC) are also set for their FIFA World Cup debuts for Panama and Haiti, respectively, after combining for over 20 Open Cup appearances over the past decade.
Former Phoenix Rising FC and current Curaçao forward Jearl Margaritha (Image: Phoenix Rising FC)
U.S. Open Cup Alumni in the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Player
Team
Country
Confederation
Lionel Messi
Inter Miami CF (MLS)
Argentina
CONMEBOL
James Rodríguez
Minnesota United FC (MLS)
Colombia
CONMEBOL
Miguel Almirón
Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Paraguay
CONMEBOL
Ricardo Pepi
FC Dallas (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Brenden Aaronson*
Philadelphia Union (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Chris Richards*
FC Dallas (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Thiago Almada
Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Argentina
CONMEBOL
Tyler Adams
Red Bull New York (MLS), Red Bull New York II (USL Championship)
United States
Concacaf
Diego Gómez
Inter Miami CF (MLS)
Paraguay
CONMEBOL
Santiago Arias
FC Cincinnati (MLS)
Colombia
CONMEBOL
Cucho Hernández
Columbus Crew (MLS)
Colombia
CONMEBOL
Haji Wright
New York Cosmos (NASL)
United States
Concacaf
Brian Rodríguez
LAFC (MLS)
Uruguay
CONMEBOL
Joe Scally
New York City FC (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Petar Musa
FC Dallas (MLS)
Croatia
UEFA
Tajon Buchanan
New England Revolution (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Léo Pereira
Orlando City SC (MLS)
Brazil
CONMEBOL
Cyle Larin
Orlando City SC (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Andrés Gómez
Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Colombia
CONMEBOL
Álex Zendejas
FC Dallas (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Auston Trusty
Philadelphia Union (MLS), Colorado Rapids (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Matt Turner
New England Revolution (MLS), Jersey Express (USL League Two)
United States
Concacaf
Amir Murillo
Red Bull New York (MLS)
Panama
Concacaf
Moïse Bombito
Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Mark McKenzie
Philadelphia Union (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Obed Vargas
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
Mexico
Concacaf
Brian Gutiérrez
Chicago Fire FC (MLS)
Mexico
Concacaf
Tani Oluwaseyi
Minnesota United FC (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Esmir Bajraktarevic
New England Revolution (MLS)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
UEFA
Marco Pašalić
Orlando City SC (MLS)
Croatia
UEFA
Cristian Roldán
Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Max Arfsten
Columbus Crew (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Miles Robinson^
Atlanta United FC (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Kaku
Red Bull New York (MLS)
Paraguay
CONMEBOL
Juan Portilla
Jacksonville Armada FC (NPSL)
Colombia
CONMEBOL
Jacob Shaffelburg^
Nashville SC (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Adalberto Carrasquilla^
Houston Dynamo FC (MLS)
Panama
Concacaf
Alan Franco
Charlotte FC (MLS)
Ecuador
CONMEBOL
Eloy Room*
Columbus Crew (MLS)
Curaçao
Concacaf
Lucas Herrington
Colorado Rapids (MLS)
Australia
AFC
Tim Ream
Charlotte FC (MLS), Red Bull New York (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Braian Ojeda
Real Salt Lake (MLS), Orlando City SC (MLS)
Paraguay
CONMEBOL
Jamiro Monteiro
Philadelphia Union (MLS), San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Cape Verde
CAF
Milos Degenek
Columbus Crew (MLS)
Australia
AFC
Alex Freeman^
Orlando City SC (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Mbekezeli Mbokazi
Chicago Fire FC (MLS)
South Africa
CAF
Matías Galarza
Atlanta United FC (MLS)
Paraguay
CONMEBOL
Ahmed Qasem^
Nashville SC (MLS)
Iraq
AFC
Frantzdy Pierrot
Reading United AC (USL League Two)
Haiti
Concacaf
Dayne St. Clair
Minnesota United FC (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Maxime Crépeau
LAFC (MLS), Portland Timbers (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Richie Laryea*
Orlando City SC (MLS)
Canada
Concacaf
Danley Jean Jacques
Philadelphia Union (MLS)
Haiti
Concacaf
Jordy Alcívar
Charlotte FC (MLS)
Ecuador
CONMEBOL
Aiden O'Neill
New York City FC (MLS)
Australia
AFC
Chris Brady
Chicago Fire FC (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Joel Waterman
Chicago Fire FC (MLS), Kitsap Pumas (USL League Two)
Canada
Concacaf
Matt Freese
New York City FC (MLS), Philadelphia Union (MLS)
United States
Concacaf
Olwethu Makhanya
Philadelphia Union (MLS)
South Africa
CAF
Steven Moreira
Columbus Crew (MLS)
Cape Verde
CAF
Finn Surman
Portland Timbers (MLS)
New Zealand
OFC
Kai Trewin
New York City FC (MLS)
Australia
AFC
Tommy Smith
Colorado Rapids (MLS)
New Zealand
OFC
Derrick Etienne Jr.
Red Bull New York (MLS), Atlanta United FC (MLS), Columbus Crew (MLS)
Haiti
Concacaf
CJ dos Santos*
Inter Miami CF (MLS)
Cape Verde
CAF
Jearl Margaritha
Phoenix Rising FC (USL Championship)
Curaçao
Concacaf
Jesse Randall
Charleston Battery (USL Championship)
New Zealand
OFC
Aníbal Godoy
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS), Nashville SC (MLS)
Panama
Concacaf
Alberto Quintero*
San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)
Panama
Concacaf
Cristian Martínez
Columbus Crew (MLS)
Panama
Concacaf
Ricardo Adé*
Miami United FC (NPSL)
Haiti
Concacaf
Michael Boxall
Minnesota United FC (MLS)
New Zealand
OFC
Carlos Harvey
Minnesota United FC (MLS), MNUFC2 (MLS NEXT Pro), Phoenix Rising FC (USL Championship), LA Galaxy (MLS)
Panama
Concacaf
Tim Payne
Portland Timbers2 (USL Championship)
New Zealand
OFC
Fidel Escobar
Red Bull New York (MLS)
Panama
Concacaf
Duke Lacroix
Sacramento Republic FC (USL Championship), Reno 1868 FC (USL Championship), Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL Championship), Ocean City Nor'easters (USL League Two)
Haiti
Concacaf
Mohammad Abualnadi
Sporting Kansas City (MLS)
Jordan
AFC
Carl Sainté
Phoenix Rising FC (USL Championship), FC Dallas (MLS), New Mexico United (USL Championship)
