How Mauricio Pochettino Selected His FIFA World Cup 2026 Roster

It’s finally here! This week, the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for FIFA World Cup 2026™ was officially announced. These 26 players will carry the hopes and dreams of a nation. On this episode of the U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel, host Meghan Klingenberg sits down with USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino to talk about how it felt to tell the players they made the team, what goes into building the roster and what characteristics knit this group together.

And that’s not all! Kling also introduces a new segment all about USMNT fandom, history and supporter lore called ‘Soccer Bestie.'

1:57 – Mauricio join the show
4:02 – How Mauricio shared the news with players
5:43 – Sleepless nights
8:41 – One word to describe the team
12:00 – The Soccer Bestie segment
20:42 – Winning Starts at Home with Ali Hall
23:14 – Ask the Pros presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts

Coming soon to Los Angeles is U.S. Soccer House presented by Bank of America, a fan-first space where fans of all ages can gather, celebrate and support the U.S. Men’s National Team. Located one block from the shores of Venice Beach, the U.S. Soccer House presented by Bank of America will bring the energy of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ to life from June 11-26. Access is free for all U.S. Soccer Insiders. Register to be an Insider today and learn more here.

Host: Meghan Klingenberg

Guests: Mauricio Pochettino, Ingrid Nilsen

Producer: Matthew Nelson

To learn more, visit http://www.ussoccer.com/podcast

The U.S. Soccer Podcast presented by Henkel is a production from U.S. Soccer hosted by David Gass, former USWNT star Meghan Klingenberg and USMNT great Alejandro Bedoya. The podcast brings you in-depth interviews with U.S. Soccer stars of the past, present and future. Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays.