World Cup 2026: Meet USMNT forward Christian Pulisic
The US Men's National Team's (USMNT) forward Christian Pulisic poses with his jersey during the announcement of the USMNT 2026 World Cup roster in New York, on May 26, 2026. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP via Getty Images)
The U.S. Men's National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set with forward Christian Pulisic making the team.
Each national team has to have at least 23 players and is allowed a maximum of 26 players and at least three goalkeepers are required to be on the roster.
Meet USMNT forward Christian Pulisic
Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States advances the ball during a game between Japan and USMNT at Lower.com Field on September 9, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images)
Christian Pulisic was born on September 18, 1998, in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The son of two collegiate soccer players, he began his professional career in Europe at the age of 16 and joined the USMNT when he was just 17 years old.
It did not take him long to make an impact either. Less than two months after his arrival, Pulisic, who wears #10, became the youngest USMNT member in the modern era (since 1990) to score a goal, and later that year, he became the youngest USMNT player in the modern era to register an assist. From there it was off to the races, with Pulisic going on to record 50 goal contributions for the USMNT faster than any player before him.
After winning U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year in 2016, Pulisic went on to win U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year the very next year. He went on to win it three more times, and those four awards (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023) tie him with Landon Donovan for the most of all time.
Pulisic currently plays professionally for Italian powerhouse AC Milan, having joined the club in 2023. Two years earlier, he was the first American ever to play in the UEFA Champions League Final when he helped Chelsea knock off Manchester City, 1-0, in May 2021.
When is the World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins June 11 and ends on July 19.
The group stage
- June 12, 2026: USA vs. Paraguay (Los Angeles Stadium)
- June 19, 2026: USA vs. Australia (Seattle Stadium)
- June 25, 2026: USA vs. Türkiye (Los Angeles Stadium)
These three matches will determine whether the Americans can advance from the group and begin a knockout-stage run in front of a home crowd.
The American team benefits from being seeded as a co-host in the expanded tournament, which could keep them from playing an elite opponent until the round of 16.
The U.S. hopes to advance far in the tournament and show it is making progress in a sport that trails the NFL, MLB and NBA in popularity at home. The Americans are 1-7 in knockout World Cup matches, the only win over regional rival Mexico in 2002.
Since reaching the semifinals of the first World Cup in 1930, the furthest Team USA has advanced was the 2002 quarterfinals. While they have lost eight straight matches to European opponents since 2022, getting outscored 22-6, the Americans have a high level of confidence.
How to watch the World Cup
Outside of watching the championship on live TV, there are several options audiences can choose from to enjoy the soccer matches.
One free option is through FIFA+ and select YouTube streams. It will also be available for free on Australia’s SBS On Demand.
Other paid options include:
The Source: Information for this article was provided by FIFA, the U.S. Men's National Team, and previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Orlando.