USMNT 2026 World Cup roster outlook: Fullback | OneFootball

If all goes according to plan, the United States men's tional team will feel great about the fullback position heading into the 2026 World Cup.

With Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, the U.S. has a chance to have its two starting fullbacks from the 2022 World Cup retain their spots for 2026. In fact, those two could potentially form one of the top fullback duos at the tournament. Unfortunately, it may not be that simple.

The starters

If healthy, Dest and Robinson will undoubtedly be the starting fullbacks at the 2026 World Cup. Of course, Dest missed almost the entire 2024-25 club season at PSV Eindhoven because of a torn ACL. The good news is he returned late in the campaign to play a small role in PSV’s Eredivisie title.

Understandably, he wasn’t at full strength, meaning Dest has the entire 2025-26 season at PSV to get himself back to the level he was before the injury. That will enable him to not just be a starter but a difference-maker for the U.S. at the World Cup.

Luckily, Robinson has no such concerns. He was arguably the best left back in the Premier League last season, notching 10 assists for Fulham. Despite not playing in the Gold Cup, Robinson shouldn’t have to worry about his starting spot. If he can come close to matching his 2024-25 performance during the 2025-26 campaign, he’ll be the unquestioned starter at left back during the World Cup.

Depth on the right

With at least some uncertainty surrounding Dest’s return from injury, depth at right fullback is something to be taken seriously. Shaq Moore and Joe Scally were on the 2022 World Cup roster, with Moore being preferred as Dest’s top deputy.

However, Scally would appear to be in that position right now. He’s played at least 28 Bundesliga matches for Borussia Mönchengladbach in four consecutive seasons. He also had some decent performances during the USMNT’s ill-fated Copa America campaign last summer. Of course, he fails to bring the same attacking threat to the right back position that Dest does, despite being a more reliable defensive presence.

Meanwhile, Moore, Marlon Fossey, and Bryan Reynolds are all worth mentioning as additional reinforcements. There could also be room for a third right back on the World Cup roster, so all three are on the radar. Of course, that spot could also go to Alex Freeman, who gave a good account of himself during the Gold Cup.

Whether Freeman could eclipse Scally as the top backup behind Dest is another matter. But he’s come a long way in a short time, so in another 10 months, Freeman could be ready to make the World Cup roster, regardless of whether a rumored move to a European club comes to fruition.

Depth on the left

While Robinson has been the unquestioned starter at left back for several years, much of that time has been spent without a bona fide backup at that position. At the 2022 World Cup, the U.S. didn’t have a second left back on the roster. If necessary, Dest would have likely moved to the left side to take advantage of the depth at right back. Moore or DeAndre Yedlin could have also deputized at left back if necessary.

At the moment, Dest could still be the second-best option the U.S. has at left back. That becomes even easier to envision with solid options behind him at right back. Nevertheless, a true backup at left back would be ideal to have on the 2026 World Cup roster. Several players have auditioned for the spot in recent years, most notably Kristoffer Lund, John Tolkin, Max Arfsten, DeJuan Jones, and Caleb Wiley.

Arfsten got a majority of the minutes during the Gold Cup. While he played a key role in multiple U.S. goals, he was also a key contributor to several goals the U.S. conceded. Granted, Pochettino seems to like him, which could give him an edge over the other candidates. However, if he was making mistakes that led to goals during the Gold Cup, it would be a great risk to put Arfsten on the field during a World Cup game.

Meanwhile, the other left-back candidates have failed to distinguish themselves. That could become even more difficult with Tolkin’s club relegated from the Bundesliga at the end of last season and Lund playing for a mid-table club in Serie B in Italy. Jones is older but has just 10 international caps, and only three since 2023.

Wiley is perhaps the most exciting prospect of the group, although the 20-year-old is still trying to establish himself and will be playing at Watford on loan from Chelsea for the second straight season during the 2025-26 campaign.

The bottom line

Similar to the 2022 World Cup, there should be room for five fullbacks on the 2026 World Cup roster. Of course, Robinson was the only true left back of those five. It would be great to have a true backup left back on the roster, although it’s unclear if anyone can overtake the problematic Arfsten for that job. Dest’s injury recovery further complicates things, making it even more important to find a viable left back to serve as Robinson’s backup.

Assuming everyone is healthy, Dest and Robinson will be the starting fullbacks, with Scally likely waiting in the wings as a serviceable backup. Beyond that, there are plenty of questions, although no shortage of candidates. The likes of Moore, Freeman, Arfsten, and Tolkin appear to be the top candidates to fill those final two fullback spots. However, the competition should remain open until it’s time for Pochettino to finalize the roster, especially on the left side, where questions linger.