USMNT 2026 World Cup roster outlook: Goalkeeper | OneFootball

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, it’s time to start taking a serious look at what Mauricio Pochettino’s roster is going to look like. There is little question that the goalkeeper position is the biggest mystery, not to mention among the most important positions. Therefore, it’s best to start dissecting who will be on the roster and who will be the starter.

The two Matts

Coming out of the Gold Cup, the USMNT goalkeeper position looks like a two-horse race between Matt Turner and Matt Freese. While Turner is the closest the U.S. has to an incumbent, it was Freese who started throughout the Gold Cup. His heroics in the quarterfinal shootout against Costa Rica will not soon be forgotten. But was he the starter because he’s better than Turner, or because Pochettino wanted to give him an audition? The answer is likely the latter.

Turner should still be considered the favorite. He has more than 50 international appearances under his belt, and he’s proven time and time again that he’s an excellent shot stopper. However, it’s imperative that he’s playing regularly at the club level during the upcoming season. Pochettino has made it clear that this will be a key factor at every position.

To his credit, Turner has played well for the USMNT at times when he hasn’t been seeing regular action at the club level. But it would be a risk to make him the starter after another season as a backup with his club team. With a move to Lyon appearing to fall apart, Turner needs to find a club where he can be the starter. It doesn’t matter the league; Turner just needs to play. Regardless, he’ll likely be on the World Cup roster, but whether he’s the clear-cut starter depends on his club situation.

Likewise, Freese should be penciled in for a roster spot after his play in the Gold Cup. To be clear, the 26-year-old is far from guaranteed to be the starter. However, his penalty-stopping abilities make him a valuable piece to have on the bench. Pochettino could choose to insert him late in a game that looks destined for penalties, much like the Dutch utilized Tim Krul during the 2014 World Cup.

An old friend

Outside of Turner and Freese, Zack Steffen is another option for the World Cup roster. Steffen was left off the 2022 World Cup roster and didn’t make an appearance in 2023 or 2024. Pochettino finally brought him back for a friendly in January 2025. Steffen was poised to be on the Gold Cup roster until a knee injury forced him to miss the tournament. Steffen has recovered from his injury and could be someone to watch in the September and October windows. If Pochettino is willing to give him an audition, Steffen has the experience and shot-stopping skills to be on the World Cup roster and push Turner as the starter if the latter’s club situation isn’t resolved in a favorable way.

The Others

With little certainty at goalkeeper, no candidate should be fully overlooked. Ethan Horvath, who was a backup on the 2022 World Cup roster, should still be in the picture. Horvath has been a USMNT hero before, coming on for an injured Steffen and stopping a penalty shot during the 2021 Nations League Finals. Unfortunately, Horvath was primarily a backup last season for a Cardiff City team that got relegated to League One. Unless he can become the No. 1 keeper at Cardiff or anywhere else, he has little hope of making the World Cup roster.

Patrick Schulte is another keeper to have on the radar. He was the starter for the under-23 squad during the 2024 Olympics, in addition to making three appearances for the full national team. Like Steffen, an injury prevented Schulte from being with the USMNT during the summer. However, he’s continued to be the starter for the Columbus Crew and could be deserving of an audition in September or October, putting him in the mix for a spot on the World Cup roster.

To dig even deeper, Chris Brady of the Chicago Fire and Drake Callender of Inter Miami have also received national team invites despite not appearing in a match for the USMNT. Either one could potentially be in the mix for a reserve or alternate spot on the World Cup roster if they can play at a high level for their club teams over the next year.

The bottom line

Ultimately, Turner is likely to be the starter for the USMNT during the 2026 World Cup. Despite his shortcomings playing out of the back, he has the experience and shot-stopping abilities to lead the U.S. at the World Cup. He just needs to play regular games at club level to stay in good form. Worst-case scenario, Turner could accept a move to MLS in January to guarantee himself playing time in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Of course, Freese has put himself on the radar. If nothing else, he should be one of the backups on the World Cup roster because of what he provides in a penalty shootout. But if he can prove himself to be a well-rounded keeper, being the starter isn’t out of his reach. The same can be said of Steffen if he can perform consistently at club level and get an audition during an international window. If nothing else, Steffen could put himself on the roster as a backup, although Horvath and Schulte will have the same opportunity. However, Turner is still the safest bet to be starting in goal for the USMNT’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup.