USMNT 2026 World Cup Roster Announcement Looms Amidst Retrospective on Historic Snubs
Ahead of the official 26-man squad reveal for the home-soil tournament, former players and coaches reflect on the psychological toll and controversial exclusions that have defined USMNT World Cup history.
The United States men’s national team is poised to announce its 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup, a tournament co-hosted on home soil. The announcement follows a rigorous selection period overseen by head coach Mauricio Pochettino, who has been in charge since late 2024. Pochettino has emphasised that roster selection remains fluid, with no player guaranteed a spot, a stance reinforced by a recent leak of the potential roster that highlighted the open nature of the decision-making process.
The upcoming reveal comes after 91 players received international minutes since the previous World Cup. The transition from this larger pool to the final squad is described as a stressful period for the athletes. Former USMNT players Jozy Altidore, Landon Donovan, and Tim Howard have previously commented on the psychological pressure associated with these selections, noting that the uncertainty is nerve-racking regardless of a player’s status as a sure thing or a bubble candidate.
The anticipation of the 2026 announcement has prompted a retrospective analysis of notable past exclusions. Among the most significant was the 2014 omission of Landon Donovan, the USMNT’s all-time leading scorer. Head coach Jürgen Klinsmann cited sporting reasons and a winter sabbatical taken by Donovan, a decision that remains a subject of debate and was described by some as the biggest and most polarizing in US soccer history.
Other historic snubs include Cobi Harkes, who was dropped by coach Steve Sampson ahead of the 1998 World Cup following an off-field affair with the wife of teammate Eric Wynalda. Sampson stated that while Harkes was an exceptional captain on the field, his behaviour off the field made it impossible to retain him. Similarly, Brian Ching narrowly missed the final squad for the 2010 tournament.
More recent exclusions include Zack Steffen and Jesus Pepi, both left off the 2022 roster by Gregg Berhalter. Steffen was excluded in favour of a new goalkeeping trio, a move Berhalter described as heartbreaking. Pepi, who led the USMNT in goal contributions during qualifiers and was in strong club form at FC Groningen, was also omitted, a decision that former player Pepi described as a massive letdown. These historical contexts frame the current selection cycle, where tough choices are inevitable.
