MLS out of favor? Domestic stars fade out of USMNT World Cup rosters
Mauricio Pochettino has repeatedly given chances to MLS players but many were cut from the final World Cup squad.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has unveiled his squad for the 2026 World Cup, confirming the 26 players who will represent their nation on home soil this summer.
The USMNT squad includes eight MLS players, less than 31% of the 26-man roster. Three of those are goalkeepers (Chis Brady, Matt Freese, Matt Turner) and only one outfield player (Tim Ream) is expected to be a first-choice starter.
This could mean that MLS representation at this summer’s World Cup reaches an all-time low. The Guardian reports that MLS involvement has declined since the 1998 World Cup, when an average of 7.0 domestic players started in each game for the US. That dropped to 5.4 in 2006 and sank to 2.0 in 2018. At the most recent World Cup in Qatar, there was just one MLS starter per game on average.
Has Pochettino moved away from MLS?
Tuesday’s roster announcement confirms what had previously been revealed by countless leaks. Pochettino has opted to stack the defense, go light on midfield options, and include wildcard forwards Gio Reyna and Alejandro Zendejas.
It also confirms that Pochettino’s faith in MLS is, perhaps, not as strong as it once appeared. While MLS duo Cristian Roldan and Sebastian Berhalter were given the nod in midfield, the likes of Diego Luna, Luca de la Torre and Jack McGlynn were all omitted. Likewise, emerging star Xavier Gozo was left out despite an impressive start to the season with Real Salt Lake.
Last year Pochettino had insisted that he wanted to place greater emphasis on domestic-based players for the national team.
“We need to give MLS the value, because I think competing there, I think players can show that they can perform in the national team,” Pochettino said in August 2025. “I think it’s not necessary to move from MLS to Europe. Because sometimes MLS, under my assessment, maybe is more competitive than some leagues in Europe.”
Throughout his time in charge, Pochettino has repeatedly given chances to MLS players. The inclusion of Berhalter and Roldan as two of the four midfield options shows that he is still willing to trust in domestic players. However there may be some frustration that Luna - recently such a key piece of Pochettino’s squad - appears to have dropped out so late in the process.
Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.