USMNT FIFA World Cup 2026 Tracker: Tests v Belgium and Portugal

It is game time! The two friendlies for the U.S. Men’s National Team in the coming week hold major importance for preparing the squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Team chemistry. Whose qualities complement who the best in how the U.S. wants to play? Can they compete with traditionally strong sides like Belgium and Portugal?

All of it is compelling, exciting, and a bit nerve-wracking.

And, in a very real sense, the callups by U.S. Men’s National Team coach Mauricio Pochettino could be termed “The called v the only called because…” That “because” being injury. Haji Wright, Sergino Dest, James Sands, Diego Luna, and Tyler Adams were not able to make camp due to injury. Would they have all been called in without? Who was called in because they could not report?

So many plot lines… The U.S. Men’s National Team tracker for FIFA World Cup 2026 is heating up. Be sure to tune in as the U.S. Men’s National Team plays v Belgium, Saturday, March 28, 2:30pm CDT and v Portugal, Tuesday, March 31, 6:00pm CDT, both on TNT, TruTV, Peacock, Telemundo, and Universo, among other stations.

For the past week in club play, 26 of the now 36 top candidates for the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer started for their clubs across Europe and Major League Soccer with two others seeing time.

The first match of the FIFA World Cup on June 12 is approaching somewhat rapidly for the U.S. Men’s National Team. A strong showing as one of the three host countries with Mexico and Canada is a must. Anything else is unacceptable. Coach Mauricio Pochettino will be faced with whittling the roster down to 26 players for the three group stage matches… and beyond. Maybe, just maybe, the USMNT will end up in Kansas City for a quarterfinal.

Thus, we are following the top players (at the moment) who are the strongest candidates for the final roster per the latest callups and history. Who fits the 3-4-2-1 formation Pochettino seems to now favor? How much playing time is each seeing? Are they being productive? Will a strong show of form mean a surprise addition, and subsequent subtraction, from the roster?

Consider this weekly column your reference.

X – denotes not called in for March friendlies v Belgium and Portugal

as of Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Strikers – 

1. Folarin Balogun, F, 24, AS Monaco: Started, scored the winner via penalty, and went 85 minutes in 2-1 win over Olympique Lyonnais, March 22, 2026. Next match: April 5, 2026, v Marseille.
2. X – injury – Haji Wright, F, 27, Coventry City: Was not in the Matchday 20 due to a groin injury (suffered v Southampton) for 3-0 win over Swansea City, March 21. Next match: Friday, April 3, v Derby County.
3. Patrick Agyemang, 25, Derby County: Started and went 84 minutes in 1-0 win over Birmingham City, March 21. Next match: Friday, April 3, 2026, v Coventry City.
4. Ricardo Pepi, F, 23, PSV Eindhoven: Started and went 65 minutes in 3-1 loss to Telstar, March 22. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v FC Utrecht.

Attacking Midfielders

1. Christian Pulisic, F, 27, AC Milan: Started and went 77 minutes in 3-2 win over Torino, March 21. Next match: v Napoli, April 6, 2026.
2. Weston McKennie, MF, 27, Juventus: Started and went all 90 in 1-1 draw with Sassuolo, March 21. Next match: Monday, April 6, v Genoa.
3. Malik Tillman, 23, Bayer Leverkusen: Started and scored the opener in a 3-3 draw with 1.FC Heldenheim, March 21. Entered in the 59^th minute of a 2-0 loss to Chelsea in 2^nd leg of Champions League. March 17. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v VfL Wolfsburg.
4. Brenden Aaronson, MF, 25, Leeds United: Started and went 68 minutes v Brentford, March 21. Next match: Monday, April 13, v Manchester United.
5. X – injury – Diego Luna, MF/F, 22, RSL:  Entered at half time of a 2-2 draw at San Diego FC, March 22, 2026. Next match: Saturday, April 4 v Sporting Kansas City.
6. Gio Reyna, MF, 23, Borussia Monchengladbach: Was an unused sub in 3-3 draw with v 1.FC Koln, March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v Heidenheim.

Wing backs

1. X – Sergino Dest, D/MF, 25, PSV Eindhoven: Not in the squad for a 3-1 loss to Telstar, March 22, due to a hamstring injury. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v FC Utrecht.
2. Tim Weah, MF, 25, Marseille(on loan from Juventus): Started and went all 90 in 2-1 loss, March 22, to Lille. Next match: Sunday, April 5, v AS Monaco.
3. Antonee Robinson, D, 28, Fulham: Started and went 61 minutes in 3-1 win over Burnley March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 11, v Liverpool.
4. Max Arfsten, D. 24, Columbus Crew: Started and went 81 minutes in a 2-1 loss at Toronto FC, March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 4, at Atlanta United.
5. Alex Freeman, WB, 21, Villarreal: Was an unused sub in a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad, March 20. Next match: Monday, April 6, v Girona FC.
6. X- John Tolkin, D, 23, Holstein Kiel: Was not in the Matchday 20 for a 3-2 win over Bochum, March 22. Next match: Sunday, April 5, v PreuBen Munster.

Holding midfielders (one a 6 one an 8)

1. X- injury – Tyler Adams, MF, 26, AFC Bournemouth: Missed 2-2 draw with Manchester United on March 20. due to injury. Next match: Saturday, April 11, v Arsenal.
2. Tanner Tessmann, MF, 24, Olympique Lyonnais: Came on in the 85^th minute in a 2-1 loss to AS Monaco, March 22. Inserted into the lineup at halftime of a 2-0 loss to Celta Vigo in 2^nd leg of Europa League, March 19. Next match: Sunday, April 5, v Angers SCO.
3. Aidan Morris, MF, 24, Middlesbrough: Went all 90 in a 0-0 draw with Blackburn Rovers, March 21. Next match: Friday, April 3, v Millwall.
4. X – injury – James Sands, MF, 25, FC St. Pauli: Not in the Matchday 20 due to injury for 2-1 loss to SC Freiburg, March 22. Next match: Sunday, April 5, v 1 FC Union Berlin.
5. Cristian Roldan, MF, 30, Seattle Sounders: Started and went all 90 in a 0-0 draw with Minnesota United, March 22. Started and went all 90 in a 2-1 win over Vancouver Whitecaps, March 18 for 2^nd leg and series win in CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: v Houston, Saturday, April 4.
6. Sebastian Berhalter, MF, 24, Vancouver Whitecaps: Entered in the 75^th minute of a 1-0 loss to San Jose Earthquakes, March 21. Started and went 85 minutes in 2-1 loss to Seattle Sounders, March 18, in 2^nd leg in CONCACAF Champions Cup. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v Portland Timbers.
7. Johnny Cardoso, MF, 24, Atletico Madrid, Called into USMNT for March friendlies. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v FC Barcelona.
8. X – Timmy Tillman, MF, 27, LAFC: Started but exited in the 73^rd minute in a 0-0 draw with Austin FC, March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v Orlando City.

Center Backs

1. Chris Richards, D, 25, Crystal Palace: Started and went 76 minutes in a 2-1 win over AEK Larnaca, March 19, in 2^nd leg of UEFA Conference League. Next match: Thursday, April 9, v Fiorentina.
2. Mark Mckenzie, D, 26, Toulouse FC: Went all 90 in a 1-0 win over Lorient, March 21. Next match: Friday, April 3, v Paris Saint Germain.
3. Tim Ream, D, 38, Charlotte FC: Started and went all 90 in 6-1 win over Red Bull New York, March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 4 v Philadelphia Union.
4. Miles Robinson, D, 28, FC Cincinnati: Started, but earned a red card in the 60^th minute of a 4-3 win over CF Montreal, March 22. Started and went all 90 in a 5-1 loss to Tigres in CONCACAF Champions Cup, March 19. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v Red Bull New York.
5. Auston Trusty, D, 27, Celtic FC: Did not see time in a 2-0 loss at Dundee United, March 22. Next match: Sunday, April 5, v Dundee United.
6. Joe Scally, D, 23, Borussia Monchengladbach: Started and went 88 minutes in a 3-3 draw with v 1.FC Koln, March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v Heidenheim.
7. X – Noahkai Banks, D, 19, FC Augsburg: Started and played the first 45 minutes of a 5-2 loss to VfB Stuttgart, March 22. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v Hamburg.

Goalkeeper

1. Matt Freese, GK, 27, NYCFC: Started went all 90 in 3-2 loss to Inter Miami, March 22. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v St. Louis City.
2. X, but now replacing Roman Celentano. Patrick Schulte, GK, 24, Columbus Crew: Started and went all 90 in 2-1 loss to Toronto FC, March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 4, at Atlanta United.
3. Matt Turner, GK, 31, New England Revolution(from Lyon): Went all 90 in 3-1 loss to St. Louis City, March 21. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v CF Montreal.
4. Selected, but forced out due to injury. Roman Celentano, GK, 25, FC Cincinnati: Was not in the Matchday 20 due to injury for a 4-3 win over CF Montreal, March 22. Started and went all 90 in a 5-1 loss to Tigres in CONCACAF Champions Cup, March 19. Next match: Saturday, April 4, v Red Bull New York.
5. Chris Brady, GK, 22, Chicago Fire, was called in for March friendlies.