Tuesday saw the release of the 26-man squad for the United States Men’s National Team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as Mauricio Pochettino revealed the roster he would be selecting from for this summer’s tournament.
The question for fans is which 11 players he'll select to take the pitch to begin the tournament against Paraguay on Friday, June 12, as they look to open Group D with a victory. The Americans are currently favored to win Group D on PrizePicks Team Picks, returning a 2.27x payout were they to claim first place.
Over on PrizePicks Team Picks, you can make a prediction on how certain countries will perform in the 2026 World Cup and earn a real-money payout if you’re correct. For example, a $100 entry on a specific country to win the World Cup at an 8.5x payout would return $850.
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Below, we’ll discuss the United States World Cup squad and the potential USMNT starting lineup, as well as which player could be the most impactful.
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Projected Starting XI for the United States National Team at the 2026 World Cup
The USMNT roster features three GKs, five CBs, five FBs, four CMs, and nine attackers — including three STs. It’s headlined by captain Christian Pulisic and looks to be set up in a 5-2-3 formation as we saw in many matches over the past year.
The roster won’t be finalized until June 1 and can still be adjusted until one day before the USMNT’s opening match should someone become injured. However, based on the players included in the roster that was released on Tuesday, we could have a good idea of how the Americans may line up.
The inclusion of 10 defenders and just four midfielders might signal a three-man unit in central defense rather than the 4-2-3-1 setup seen against Belgium. The setup allows RB Sergino Dest and LB Antonee “Jedi” Robinson to push forward in attack while still leaving cover in front of goal.
Projected United States 5-2-3
- Goalkeeper: Matt Freese
- Defense: Sergino Dest, Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Auston Trusty, Antonee Robinson
- Midfield: Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie
- Forwards: Malik Tillman, Folarin Balogun, Christian Pulisic
United States Player to Watch: Weston McKennie
Weston McKennie was listed as one of the four midfielders, potentially being deployed as a CM rather than in the free-flowing attacking role that he thrived in at times this season for Juventus.
After a rough start to the campaign, he turned it around to begin 2026. He scored 8 goals and registered 4 assists over the first 22 matches after New Year's and finished just one Serie A assist behind Kenan Yildiz for the team lead. He was deployed in multiple attacking roles for the side, including at ST for a few matches.
Pulisic will garner the headlines, but McKennie may be the most impactful player on this squad. He's capable of dropping into pockets of space to get the ball and has the capability to both pick out a pass to a teammate or drive into space and create a chance for himself.
He can also fill multiple roles, both as a CM or AM as well as at RM.
McKennie also has experience at the World Cup. He was perhaps the best American on the pitch against England in 2022 and helped create the decisive goal against Iran as he set Serginho Dest free with a brilliant diagonal ball.
The USMNT will need McKennie to bring that playmaking ability again this year.
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Make United States World Cup Picks on PrizePicks
There's a lot of pressure on this USMNT side to make a run at the 2026 World Cup. Dubbed the “Golden Generation” by many American soccer fans, they have the advantage of playing on home soil and possess a group that may not be difficult to advance from.
How they set up will be important, as Pochettino looks to find the correct balance with questions in goal and the central midfield. That said, he has plenty of options in attack and the 5-2-3 setup may be the best way for him to ensure he has his most impactful players on the pitch.
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Stick around with the Playbook for continued World Cup predictions, picks, and analysis through the end of the tournament.
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