Your cheat sheet to the 26 players on the U.S. World Cup team
The U.S. Men's National Team is set to play its first game of the 2026 World Cup against Paraguay in Los Angeles. The team consists of 26 players, each with their own unique story and experience. The players have been preparing for this moment for years, and some have overcome challenges to make it to the tournament.
- ▪Christian Pulisic is the top active goalscorer for the USMNT with 33 goals in 86 career appearances.
- ▪Folarin Balogun was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents and raised in London, and made the switch to represent the U.S. in 2023.
- ▪Ricardo Pepi was left off the 2022 World Cup squad but has since played the best soccer of his career with PSV Eindhoven.
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Your cheat sheet to the 26 players on the U.S. World Cup team June 12, 20265:00 AM ET By Becky Sullivan , Casey Morell , Russell Lewis The U.S. Men's National Team poses during the announcement of the 2026 World Cup roster in New York last month. Nicky Quamina-Woo for NPR hide caption toggle caption Nicky Quamina-Woo for NPR Four years in the making. The U.S. Men's National Team is finally ready to play its first game of the 2026 World Cup with a match on Friday against Paraguay in Los Angeles. For the 26 Americans on the squad, just making it to soccer's most prestigious tournament and the world's biggest sporting event is a culmination (or continuation) of a lifetime of soccer highs and lows. Here's what to know about each of the players on the team.
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