USMNT roster for March 2026: Pochettino to call strong list of names for Belgium, Portugal friendlies in Atlanta

The United States men's national team will convene for a pair of high-profile friendlies at the end of March in their last chance to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup later this summer.

These matches will mark the final international window before the final roster is named in late May and the players convene for official World Cup preparations. 

Both matches for the United States in March will take place in Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, set to face Belgium on March 28 before meeting Portugal three days later.

The Sporting News takes a look at which players are expected to be called in by head coach Mauricio Pochettino, with the official roster to be named sometime this week.

MORE: A closer look at the official USMNT jersey designs for the 2026 World Cup

USMNT roster for March 2026 matches vs. Belgium, Portugal

The roster for March friendlies against Belgium and Portugal is likely to reflect where Mauricio Pochettino stands with respect to the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup a few months later.

With the time for experimentation now over, this roster should look very similar to the one Pochettino eventually names for the tournament this coming summer.

There are still a few questions to be answered, though. First off, with Matt Freese seemingly locking down the starting goalkeeper position, who will back him up? We will find out if 2022 starter Matt Turner will be given a chance to compete for that spot, or if his time has already come and gone. Jonathan Kilnsmann and Patrick Schulte could also factor into the race.

MORE: Projecting the roster for the USMNT at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Second, the second center-back spot alongside Chris Richards remains a question, as Tim Ream has struggled to begin the 2026 MLS season, but remains a favorite of Pochettino's at the back.

Additionally, it will be interesting to see if Tanner Tessmann or Aidan Morris are called in to back up Tyler Adams at the No. 6 position. Both players can also play the No. 8, and both have been shown preference by Pochettino in the past, but there may come a time where the roster is too bloated for both to appear.

USMNT predicted roster for March 2026

Below is a predicted 26-man roster for the U.S. men's national team in their upcoming friendlies against Belgium and Portugal.

Caps correct as of the last match on November 18, 2025.

Pulisic, McKennie, Richards return to USMNT

Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Chris Richards are all expected to return to USMNT action after missing out on selection in the November international break.

Pulisic and Richards were both dealing with injuries last time the U.S. men convened, while McKennie had been left out to focus on his club situation.

Both injured players are now healthy and firing at the club level once again, while McKennie has proven himself a key component of the Juventus squad, even earning a big-money contract extension in the process.

If one of the three does not appear on the roster for whatever reason, there will be serious questions asked about their ability to contribute this coming summer.

Sergino Dest injured for March window

One player not likely to make the roster is Sergino Dest, who picked up a hamstring injury while on club duty with PSV last week.

Dest is not believed to be in danger of missing the World Cup, and is likely to return to his club team before the end of the current season, but he will not be available to take part in these two friendly matches, likely needing four to six weeks of recovery after the injury suffered in early March.

Noahkai Banks still reportedly undecided between USA and Germany

Questions remain whether young defender Noahkai Banks will commit to representing the United States full-time on the international level, or whether he will switch to represent Germany where he lives.

Born in Hawaii, the 19-year-old was called in by Mauricio Pochettino for friendlies last September against Japan and Ecuador. He did not appear in those games, however, as he was an unused substitute against Japan before picking up an injury in training prior to the Ecuador match.

Thus, he is still eligible to represent either nation. Having risen to the level of everyday starter for Bundesliga club Augsburg this season, there are rumors that he is being considered by Germany, but if he commits to the U.S. soon, he could potentially be an option for the World Cup roster this summer.

Banks has spoken openly about how much he has enjoyed spending time with the U.S. national team setup, playing for the United States throughout the youth program, but there have recently been questions about whether he could be wooed by the chance to play for Germany. After speaking with ESPN extensively about his love for the USMNT, he admitted later to German publication Kicker that he has considered Germany, even though there have been questions about if the DFB has even been in contact.

As it stands, with his international future still in question, it's highly unlikely he is called in for these March friendlies, according to a report by ESPN.

Should Gio Reyna make the World Cup roster?

The questions around Gio Reyna's viability as a USMNT player remain in full gear.

The 23-year-old was brought in by Mauricio Pochettino for friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay back in November, looking lively as he picked up a goal and an assist across the two matches.

Yet since returning to his club Borussia Monchengladbach, he has once again failed to build on a strong international performance and has not been handed a starting spot, even picking up a muscle injury that left him out of action throughout most of February. Since returning to fitness, he has been an unused substitute in three straight league games.

Reyna's career continues to be an enigma, as he regularly performs in a USMNT shirt but has failed to justify selection at the club level repeatedly. Will Pochettino give him more chances, or will he be passed by others in his position who are having more club success?