The American men’s national team is in its last stage of preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with two remaining tests before Mauricio Pochettino decides on a squad. The former is vs. Senegal on May 31 at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. The second is with the Germans on June 6 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The two matches will be broadcast in English on TNT and Max, and in Spanish on Telemundo and Peacock. On May 26, Pochettino will announce the 26-man roster at an event held on Pier 17 in New York City, which will be televised on FOX at 3 p.m. ET.
Confirmed Schedule
The March window ended with two defeats: 5-2 against Belgium and 2-0 against Portugal, both in Atlanta. Senegal and Germany friendlies are the last match in the build-up to the start of Group D against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. On June 19, the U.S. will go against Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle and on June 25 against Türkiye at SoFi. FIFA has decided that provisional squads must be submitted by May 11 and final 26-player squads must be submitted by June 2.
Cardoso’s Absence
Johnny Cardoso will not attend the World Cup. On May 11, Atlético Madrid reported that the 24-year-old midfielder is going to undergo surgery because of a high-grade right ankle sprain obtained during a training session. By the time he left camp in March, Cardoso, with 23 caps, had played 45 minutes against Belgium, but left with leg discomfort. He failed to appear in the semifinals of the Champions League for Atlético vs Arsenal.
Roster Locks
Several players are regulars. Following a good season at Crystal Palace, Chris Richards became the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Month. Tyler Adams also made a comeback to Bournemouth following an injury in the MCL. Weston McKennie is still a permanent at Juventus. Antonee Robinson is the senior left back at Fulham. In goal, Matt Freese and Matt Turner share Marchs. The second half was the one against Portugal, but the U.S. could not score that 2-0 loss.
Attack Options
Folarin Balogun is on the verge of achieving a 20-goal season with AS Monaco. Ricardo Pepi scored 17 goals in PSV Eindhoven. Haji Wright had made 19 goals across all competitions for Coventry City this season, securing a promotion to the Premier League, only to be injured in late March and recover in late April. Patrick Agyemang is out because of an injury to his Achilles tendon at the end of the season at Derby County.
Right Back Battle
Sergiino Dest went back to PSV training following a knee injury that left him out of action for several weeks. He has had a practice friendly that lasted 30 minutes, but he is not fit yet. The next two weeks will determine whether he will play in the World Cup or not. Alex Freeman of Villarreal and Joe Scally of Borussia Monchengladbach are the alternatives.
Bubble Midfielders
Aidan Morris, Sebastian Berhalter, Tanner Tessmann, and Gio Reyna are in their final minutes. The national team record of Reyna is higher than his few minutes in Borussia Dortmund, but the friendly against Germany will give him his last opportunity to prove that he is match fit. Tessmann is suffering an injury in the form of a muscle strain, which made him miss the last two matches of Ligue 1, but the news says that this injury is not going to jeopardize his suitability.
The Germany Benchmark
Germany comes as the fourth World Cup champion. The U.S. has been 4-8-0 against them, with the last encounter being a 3-1 German win in Hartford in October 2023. This game provides Pochettino with a European heavyweight a week prior to the start of the Paraguay game. Senegal, on May 31, offers a trial to the existing African champions.
Final Decisions
On May 26, the 26-man roster is unveiled, and the four-year cycle concludes. The friendlies provide final match data, which Pochettino uses to make selections. In the case of players in the bubble, the next 180 minutes will decide whether they will fly to Los Angeles. In the central, it is rhythm and preparedness. Any Charlotte or Chicago pass is weighty.
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