Five USMNT Players At Risk of Not Being Selected for the 2026 World Cup

There is no honor greater for a soccer player than pulling on his nation’s jersey at the World Cup, and few players will ever get the opportunity to do so on home turf. It’s what makes a spot on the 26-man roster of the U.S. men’s national team this summer so coveted.

Since taking over the USMNT program in the fall of 2024, manager Mauricio Pochettino has cast a wide net to explore every possibility for this summer. He has called in over 80 players and played over 60 of them in friendly matches and at the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. Now, he faces the difficult task of narrowing that pool down by over half.

For some players, it’s clear that their World Cup position is assured—their families and friends can book hotels. Yet, for many, it’s a toss-up that will become clear on May 26. Maybe their families have booked fully refundable accommodations.

Here, Sports Illustrated takes a look at five players at risk of not being selected for the World Cup.

5. Chris Brady (Goalkeeper)

Chicago Fire, Chris Brady — Chicago Fire backstop Chris Brady could crack the USMNT as a third goalkeeper. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

While the third goalkeeper rarely sees action at the World Cup, the experience can be vital, if not defining, in a career. Some nations use it to bring experienced players in a non-playing capacity, while others take a young player in hopes of developing a future World Cup star.

That is the challenge the USMNT faces when it comes to selecting a third goalkeeper—and where Chicago Fire backstop, Chris Brady, becomes an intriguing option. The 22-year-old is the youngest of the third-string options, which include himself, FC Cincinnati’s Roman Celentano and Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte, and has been fairly level with them throughout the 2026 season, recording 39 total saves across 13 starts in MLS thus far. Schulte has made 34 in 14 starts, while Celentano has made 44 in 12.

Whoever is selected will be behind New England Revolution’s Matt Turner and New York City FC’s Matt Freese in the pecking order, but will receive invaluable experience. At the same time, it could become evident post-World Cup that there is no clear-cut No. 1, forcing Pochettino to reevaluate who he relies on between the sticks.

4. Mark McKenzie (Center Back)

Mark McKenzie has had a relatively strong season with Toulouse in France’s Ligue 1, starting 27 of 29 matches, but has yet to become a key facet in Pochettino’s USMNT. Part of that issue stems from the Stars and Stripes’ constantly-changing formation, with McKenzie used to lining up consistently on the right of Toulouse’s back-three, but having to shift his role to either a back-four or to the left or center positions of the back-three with the USMNT.

The USMNT can only bring so many center backs, and at this point, it’s not clear which formation they will use, creating a foggy situation around fullbacks who can also play in the back three taking one of those roster spots.

Crystal Palace’s Chris Richards is a roster lock at the back, but after him, there’s concern for every player. Could McKenzie make it? He’s likely, but there’s no assurance, as he contends with Charlotte FC’s Tim Ream, Celtic’s Auston Trusty, FC Cincinnati’s Miles Robinson and potentially FC Augsburg’s Noahkai Banks, who is next on this list.

3. Noahkai Banks (Center Back)

Noahkai is the most intriguing name among potential USMNT call-ups, and the allure of a home World Cup and an assured future role could play a deciding factor in his international future as a U.S.-German dual national.

The 19-year-old was a constant at the back with FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga this season, starting 20 games and helping his side to a ninth-place finish in the table. However, he declined a March call-up to the USMNT while weighing his options with the German program. Still, if he decides he wants to represent the U.S., he should be an instant call, as a World Cup not only ties him to the team for the future but also offers a new dynamic to the backline.

“It’s a difficult decision regarding my nationality – I’m very torn,” Banks said in a recent interview. “Hopefully, I’ll have a long career ahead of me, so I want to think carefully and speak with my family...I don’t want to make it dependent on a World Cup. I’m just happy to be in this position and to be able to make this decision. We’ll see what happens.”

2. Zavier Gozo (Forward)

Zavier Gozo, Real Salt Lake, USMNT — Zavier Gozo has been in tremendous form with Real Salt Lake. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Zavier Gozo has been in tremendous form with six goals and four assists in his first 13 MLS games this season and could make history as the third teenager to make a World Cup roster for the USMNT, following in the footsteps of Julian Green in 2018 and Yunus Musah in 2022.

He has yet to attend a USMNT camp, which works against him. Yet, he has shown versatility as a right midfielder, right winger and right wingback — potentially neutralizing the former point due to his advantageous skill set.

His explosive pace, one-on-one dribbling and versatile attacking skills make him a potential game-breaking talent, and giving him World Cup experience at such a young age could define the next steps of his career, which he has admitted he hopes will be a move to Europe.

USMNT assistant coach Jesús Perez has been making his way across MLS games over the past several weeks and was in attendance for Real Salt Lake ’s match against FC Dallas before subtly hinting that he had looked at Gozo, as well as Diego Luna, who, if healthy, likely makes the team.

“[There were] a few players, young players on both sides,” Perez told Apple TV that night. “Very important for us to keep an eye on some of them. Obviously, Luna is the one who has been in more games with us, but there are a few other players who caught our eye, and it’s important to be here today.”

1. Gio Reyna (Midfielder)

Gio Reyna, USMNT — Gio Reyna has struggled for playing time with club and country. | Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Gio Reyna is the beneficiary of one statement from Pochettino in March: “He’s a very special talent and very special player. And I think to give the possibility [of playing for the U.S.], even if he’s not playing too much in his club, it can be very useful for us.“

While Reyna amassed just 510 minutes across four starts and 19 matches in the Bundesliga with Borussia Mönchengladbach this season, he remains a potential player for the USMNT due to his vision, intuitive runs and close-touch dribbling.

While he has been unable to shine in significant moments, struggling with the USMNT in the March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal and scoring his only Bundesliga goal as a consolation marker in a 3–1 loss, he has the sheer talent, even if it comes without form.

With those considerations, any typical prediction would peg Reyna as an unlikely choice for the USMNT this summer. Yet, for Pochettino, that’s clearly not the case—and it will come down to whether he still rates talent over form, or whether his methodology has shifted, given Reyna has done little to move the needle.

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