Giovanni Reyna and Alejandro Zendejas will represent the United States at the 2026 World Cup, while Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann headline the list of players omitted from its final squad, according to Pablo Iglesias Maurer and Jeff Rueter of The Guardian.
Mauricio Pochettino's official 26-man roster is slated to be unveiled Tuesday afternoon during an event in New York City, but The Guardian obtained the full list and had it authenticated by sources with knowledge of the head coach's selections, Maurer and Rueter add.
Reyna's inclusion was first reported by Paul Tenorio and Tom Bogert of The Athletic, who note that players were informed Friday if they had been chosen to take part in this summer's tournament, which the United States is co-hosting along with neighbors Canada and Mexico.
Reported U.S. World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC), Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergino Dest (PSV), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Monchengladbach), Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)
Attacking midfielders/wingers: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Borussia Monchengladbach), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Weah (Marseille), Alejandro Zendejas (Club America)
Strikers: Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV), Haji Wright (Coventry City)
Reyna is reportedly getting the nod despite playing only 509 Bundesliga minutes for Borussia Monchengladbach this season, though he did enjoy a solid finish to the campaign.
The 23-year-old was nearly sent home from the 2022 World Cup for behavioral issues, and his parents then became embroiled in a bizarre and public feud with then-coach Gregg Berhalter that loomed over the talented attacking midfielder before he was eventually recalled to the national team.
Despite the perceived baggage and overall lack of playing time, Pochettino previously dubbed Reyna a "special situation" when asked about the playmaker being reintegrated into the USMNT picture.
His inclusion likely comes at the expense of Luna, one of the United States' most exciting performers in 2025. The Real Salt Lake attacking midfielder, who featured prominently in recent pre-tournament promotional material, was the team's breakout talent last year, appearing in all but one of the Americans' 18 matches.
Although he's dealt with lingering knee and muscle issues this year, they weren't expected to hamper him at the World Cup had he been selected, a source told Tenorio and Bogert.
Tessmann, the Lyon midfielder tipped by some to be in Pochettino's starting lineup this summer, is another notable omission. A recent injury may have played a role in the decision, but the 24-year-old was expected to earn a roster spot regardless, especially after Johnny Cardoso was ruled out due to an ankle injury that required surgery.
Zendejas, meanwhile, was thought to be on the bubble after being given limited opportunities under Pochettino despite strong showings for Liga MX side Club America.
Final World Cup rosters must be submitted to FIFA by June 1. After that point, a player can only be replaced up to 24 hours prior to the team's opening match "in the event of serious injury or illness," according to the governing body.
The U.S. opens its World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 12 and will also take on Australia (June 19) and Turkey (June 25) in Group D.
