Pulisic, Balogun and McKennie return as USMNT names roster for Nations League clash with Haiti

The squad

Mauricio Pochettino named the U.S. squad on Wednesday, 4 November, for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti. Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie return after missing the September and October friendlies. Pulisic was still recovering from a microfracture of his right tibia and fibula, suffered in the 4-1 round-of-16 loss to Belgium at the World Cup. Balogun did not play in Monaco's first four Ligue 1 matches this season after a possible transfer to Everton fell through, and his World Cup red-card suspension was set aside following a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to FIFA head Gianni Infantino. McKennie was picked despite muscle fatigue that ruled him out of Juventus's Europa League match at AZ Alkmaar on Thursday, 5 November. Reports disagree on the squad size, with some counting 25 players and others 26, and the articles do not explain the gap.

Veterans and youngsters

The squad keeps about half of the players from the World Cup and includes 19 players from the September and October friendlies. Pochettino framed the selection as a way to balance experience with youth, and he spoke at an online news conference from London.

“It's very important for us to add more options, more players with the possibility to challenge the familiar faces.”

Cavan Sullivan, 17, made his senior debut in September two days before his 17th birthday and became the youngest American goalscorer a week later against Mexico. The group also includes 17-year-old midfielders Mathis Albert and Adri Mehmeti, 18-year-old forward Julian Hall, and 19-year-old forward Justin Ellis and defender Neil Pierre. Reed Baker-Whiting, a Nashville right back, and Santiago Castañeda, a Paderborn midfielder, both 21, could make their debuts. Bryan Reynolds, 25, earns his first call-up since the 2023 Gold Cup.

Christian Pulisic33

Folarin Balogun12

Weston McKennie12

Julian Hall3

Cavan Sullivan1

Christian Pulisic

33 goals

Folarin Balogun

12 goals

Weston McKennie

12 goals

Julian Hall

3 goals

Cavan Sullivan

1 goals

Data from the article text

Matt Turner, Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie, Joe Scally, Aidan Morris and Tim Weah were left out. Some players not selected will join the under-23 team preparing for the 2028 Olympics, and that camp roster is due on Thursday, 5 November.

Hall's international future

Julian Hall, 18, is eligible to play for Poland, which has publicly courted him. Under FIFA regulations he becomes cap-tied to the United States once he has appeared in more than three senior games, including at least one in official competition. The Nations League counts as official competition, so if Hall plays against Haiti it would be his fifth cap and would settle the question. In an interview with the New York Post, Hall said his international future was not yet settled, but sources with direct knowledge of the situation said there was never a serious worry that he would switch. Pochettino addressed the matter at the news conference.

“I don't know what he said, but when Julian was with us, he was really excited to play for us, for the badge, for USA.”

Schedule and format

The 16th-ranked Americans will train in Georgia before facing 84th-ranked Haiti. The first quarterfinal is on 14 November in Miami, and the return match is on 17 November in Cincinnati. Haiti hosts its home leg in Miami because of years-long security issues tied to gang violence in Port-au-Prince. The series is decided on total goals, and the winner advances to the Nations League semifinals from 22-30 March at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.