FRISCO, Texas (July 27, 2026) — The National Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium today released the names of all candidates eligible for election in 2027.
Of the 220 people named, 61 are on the Player Eligibility List, 127 are on the Veteran Eligibility List and 32 are on the Builder Eligibility List.
The Hall of Fame’s Screening Committees will narrow the Player, Veteran and Builder ballots before they and other members of the Voting Committees vote on the Final Ballot, electing a maximum of six new Hall of Fame members. As many as three Players and two Veterans can be selected, along with one Builder.
Player Eligibility List
The Player Screening Committee is responsible for narrowing the 61-person list to a 20-person final ballot for the 2027 election.
The 16 players in their first year on the eligibility list are:
- Ozzie Alonso: 15 seasons in Major League Soccer with one Best XI selection
- Jozy Altidore: 115 games with the U.S. Men’s National Team
- Jonathan Bornstein: Nine seasons in MLS with one Best XI selection and 38 games with the USMNT
- Michael Bradley: 151 games with the USMNT
- Drew Bremer: 54 games with the U.S. Men’s Cerebral Palsy (CP) National Team
- Mix Diskerud: 38 games with the USMNT
- Julie Johnston Ertz: Nine seasons in the National Women’s Soccer League with three Best XI selections and 123 games with the U.S. Women’s National Team
- Will Frentz: 27 games with the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team
- Chad Johnson: 20 games with the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team
- Ali Krieger: One season in Women’s Professional Soccer and 10 seasons in the NWSL with three Best XI selections and 108 games with the USWNT
- Jessica McDonald: One season in WPS and 11 seasons in the NWSL with one Best XI selection
- Trip Neil: 50 games with the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team
- Megan Rapinoe: Three seasons in WPS and 10 seasons in the NWSL with one Best XI selection and 203 games with the USWNT
- Natalie Russo-Dickey: 21 games with the U.S. Power Soccer National Team
- Jose Francisco Torres: 26 games with the USMNT
- Graham Zusi: 15 seasons in MLS with two Best XI selections and 55 games with the USMNT
The player list also includes 13 finalists who return from the 2026 election: Kyle Beckerman, Matt Besler, Geoff Cameron, Stephanie Lopez Cox, Dwayne DeRosario, Maurice Edu, Jermaine Jones, Robbie Keane, Chad Marshall, Samantha Mewis, Oguchi Onyewu, Amy Rodriguez, and Diego Valeri.
Edu and Onyewu are in their final year of eligibility on the Player ballot, along with Bryce Boarman, Andrew Feld, Shalrie Joseph, and Lewie Valentine. If not elected, they would move to the Veteran Eligibility List for the 2028 election.
To be eligible for election as a Player, an individual must be retired for at least three full calendar years, but for no more than 10 full calendar years, and have either:
- Played in at least 20 full international games for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Women’s National Team or Extended National Teams (Beach, Futsal, CP, Deaf and Power), or
- Played at least five seasons in a United States first-division professional league and been named to a postseason league All-Star team at least once.
Veteran Eligibility List
The Veteran Screening Committee will reduce the 127-person list to a 10-person final ballot through a two-step screening process.
The 19 Veteran semifinalists were selected by the nine-person Veteran Screening Committee from the list of 127 eligible candidates. The next step in the Veteran election will be for the Screening Committee to narrow the field to 10 finalists. The 24-person Veteran Voting Committee will determine who will be inducted; the finalist who receives the most votes will be elected, and a second finalist also may be elected if they receive at least 75% of the votes.
2027 Veteran Ballot Semifinalists
- Aldo Balsano*
- David Beckham
- Chico Borja
- Sean Bowers
- Ken Cooper Sr.^
- Lorrie Fair
- Francis Farberoff
- Kevin Hartman
- Lori Henry
- Keith Johnson*
- Clint Mathis
- Shep Messing
- Heather Mitts
- Victor Nogueira
- Steve Ralston
- Tiffany Roberts
- Homare Sawa
- Tatu
- Aly Wagner
* First year on Veteran Ballot
^ Previously sunsetted and restored to the eligibility list by appeal
To be eligible for election as a Veteran, an individual must be retired for more than 10 full calendar years and have either:
- Played in at least 20 full international games for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Women’s National Team or Extended National Team (10 games if prior to 1990 or five games if prior to 1960), or
- Played at least five seasons in a United States first-division professional league and been named to a postseason league All-Star team at least once, or
- Played at least five seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League between the end of the NASL in 1984 and the end of the MISL in 1992 and been selected as a first-team all-star.
Builder Eligibility List
Builders are considered in three categories: referees, coaches and contributors. Beginning with the 2022 election, Builder selections have been limited each year to a rotation of the three categories — or to a selection from the full pool of candidates. The 2027 Builder election is open to coaches only.
The 10 Builder semifinalists were selected by the nine-person Builder Screening Committee from the list of 32 eligible candidates. The next step in the Builder election will be for the Screening Committee to narrow the field to four finalists. The 24-person Builder Voting Committee will determine who will be elected.
2027 Builder Ballot Semifinalists
- Gregg Berhalter
- Clive Charles
- Gene Chyzowych
- Jay Hoffman
- Gordon Jago
- Steve Negoesco
- Lothar Osiander
- Lincoln Phillips
- Pia Sundhage
- Frank Yallop
To qualify for consideration in this category, an individual must have left a distinct mark on soccer in a non-playing capacity and demonstrated a substantial, enduring and positive influence on the sport within the United States at the national or first-division professional level. Eligible candidates must be at least 50 years old and have demonstrated their significant contribution for a minimum of 10 years.
Complete information about the election and eligibility procedures is available online at NationalSoccerHoF.com. The election process is administered by National Soccer Hall of Fame staff under election and eligibility guidelines established by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
