USMNT to announce 26‑man roster May 26

U.S. Soccer said Mauricio Pochettino will announce the United States men's 26-player roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on May 26 at a live event in New York City. The federation said the reveal will take place at 3 p.m. ET and be carried live on FOX. The event is set for Pier 17 in Manhattan, according to reporting by The Athletic and Yahoo Sports. The announcement will end weeks of public projection around the final spots in a squad that will represent the host nation this summer. ### Where and when is the roster being announced? U.S. Soccer said on April 30 that the roster will be unveiled on Monday, May 26, during what it called its first live USMNT World Cup roster reveal and fan celebration in New York City. The federation said the event will be held at 3 p.m. ET and broadcast on FOX. (ussoccer.com) The Athletic reported the setting as Pier 17 along the East River in Manhattan, and Yahoo Sports said the roster will be revealed during a nationally televised event in New York. Those reports matched U.S. Soccer's timetable for the public announcement. (ussoccer.com) ### Why is the final stretch drawing so much attention? Only 26 players can be named to the final squad, and outside projections have focused on the unsettled places at the edge of the roster. CBS Sports said injuries and form had complicated Pochettino's final decisions ahead of the May 26 reveal. (nytimes.com) A Yardbarker version distributed via MSN said fringe candidates were still trying to force their way into the squad before the New York announcement. That framing has become common in final-week roster coverage as media outlets sort locks from bubble players. (cbssports.com) ### What has Pochettino said about his decision? Mauricio Pochettino said previously he was looking for "the right 26" to represent the country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to U.S. Soccer's April 30 announcement. The federation used that phrase in previewing the coach's final decision. (msn.com) U.S. Soccer has not yet published the final 26 names on its current roster page, which still lists a wider player pool that includes goalkeepers Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte and Matt Freese, defenders such as Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream, midfielders including Weston McKennie and Gio Reyna, and forwards led by Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi. That page reflects the broader group in contention rather than the final World Cup list. (ussoccer.com) ### Who is making public roster predictions before the reveal? Alejandro Bedoya, the Philadelphia Union captain and former U.S. international, published his own roster prediction on the club's website on May 20. Bedoya wrote that he was "putting on my coach hat" before Pochettino unveils the roster in New York City on May 26. (ussoccer.com) Bedoya also wrote that he had "been in the players' shoes before," referencing his experience of narrowly missing the 2010 World Cup before making the 2014 squad. His piece is one example of how former and current players are weighing the final decisions in public before the official announcement. (philadelphiaunion.com) ### What happens next after May 26? May 26 is the date for the public reveal, and U.S. Soccer said the 26-player roster will be announced live in New York City at 3 p.m. ET on FOX. The federation's fan event and broadcast will provide the official list from Pochettino rather than another projected squad. (ussoccer.com) (philadelphiaunion.com)