Player Availability for USMNT vs. Germany

CHICAGO — U.S. Men’s National Team center back Chris Richards is on the right path to recovery, according to national teammate Weston McKennie, but the defender has not quite reached clearance for competition.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed that, while Richards is making progress, he won’t be ready to compete on the pitch in the team’s upcoming fixture against Germany at Soldier Field.

“Today, he’s training and his evolution is good, but he’s still not ready to compete and play,” Pochettino said. “After the game, we will take the next few days to assess him… then [we’ll make] a decision.”

Richards is recovering from torn ligaments in his ankle that he suffered while playing with his club Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. The injury sidelined him in Crystal Palace’s victory in the UEFA Conference League Final and the USMNT’s most recent match, a 3-2 win over Senegal in Charlotte, N.C.

While he may not be set to play Saturday, the defender was seen training with the National Team at Endeavor Health Performance Center, home to the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer where the U.S. trained Friday before its final dress rehearsal ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off.

It’s a positive sign to see Richards practice with one week to go before USA’s group stage opener versus Paraguay. Richards was included in the official roster due to FIFA on June 1, though Pochettino and his coaching staff are allowed to replace a player due to injury up to 24 hours before the match.

Richards has earned 36 caps in his career with the U.S. Men’s National Team. The Alabama native’s last appearance in an international match was March 31 against Portugal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Richards played a full 90 minutes and wore the captain’s armband.

Whether the rest of the roster, all 25 players, are available for selection on Saturday, Pochettino did not mention anyone else by name. The head coach is keeping his cards close to the vest ahead of a quality matchup against a top-ranked European opponent.

"We have a few things we need to assess today in training, and we will decide tomorrow,” Pochettino said.