USMNT Names 13 Uncapped Players to Youth-Heavy Fall Roster — SkimNews
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- Mauricio Pochettino named a 28-player USMNT roster for the fall friendlies with 13 uncapped players, framing the four-game stretch as a "new start" for the program.
- Cavan Sullivan, the 16-year-old Philadelphia Union forward with a deal in place to join Manchester City after his 18th birthday, headlines the uncapped contingent.
- The uncapped players average 19 years and six months old, with the vast majority 21 or under, per the source.
- Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun, and Weston McKennie were left out — Pulisic dealt with an injury-plagued World Cup, while Balogun hasn't played since the tournament amid fitness issues and a failed move to Everton.
- Tyler Adams and Ricardo Pepi anchor the 13 World Cup veterans retained to keep results competitive while the new generation integrates.
- Yunus Musah returns after being shuffled out of the squad under predecessor Gregg Berhalter, and George Campbell comes back after earning his lone cap in a January 2025 friendly against Venezuela.
- The four friendlies run Sept. 26 vs. Peru, Sept. 29 vs. Chile, Oct. 3 vs. Mexico, and Oct. 6 vs. Canada.
Why it matters: With the 2026 World Cup on home soil approaching, Pochettino is using four fall friendlies to fast-track a generation of young talent — 13 of 28 roster spots going to uncapped players averaging under 20 years old — rather than leaning on the established core. The youth-first call sidelines proven scorers like Pulisic and Balogun but gives Pochettino live-game data on emerging options before competitive fixtures resume.
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