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World Cup Positional Depth Chart

Published

3 years ago

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Introduction

Welcome to my World Cup Positional Depth Chart, a tier list I’ve worked on for 2 months that sorts the best players for all 32 teams into various tiers based on a rough approximation of how good the “best” players for a nation are. 

 

I’ve sorted the best players from every NT’s player pool into 6 positional groups(or PG’s): Centerbacks, Midfielders, Wingers/Second Attackers, Fullbacks/Wingbacks, Strikers, and Goalkeepers.

 

Players are tiered based on the average “goodness” of their countries’ best players at a specific PG. This means that a Tier 1 level midfielder can be sorted into a lower tier if his national team’s other first choice mids aren’t as good.

 

 Each National team has 11 players sorted into tiers. The distribution of these players for each PG is determined by the formation each National Team typically uses. For example, if a team typically uses two midfielders, that team’s two best midfielders will be sorted, collectively, into a tier. If a team typically uses three center backs, then their three best center backs will be ranked collectively. In cases where a National Team is using various formations interchangeably, I’ll choose one that allows for more talent to see the field. In cases where there’s a coaching change, lineups after the coaching change will be prioritized as reference.

 

As a bonus, I have ranked players from the United States Men’s National Team who aren’t necessarily “first-choice”. 

 

What This List is not

This is not a measure of how effectively players for different national teams mesh with each other. This is also not an assessment of potential; “Talent” or “goodness” here is simply how good a player currently is. This also isn’t definitive, it’s meant to be a conversation starter; disagreement is encouraged.

Criteria

For this project, a player’s “goodness” is determined by their hypothetical impact on winning in various situations. To estimate how good each player is I’ve considered the following criterion:    


  • Current Value
  1. Team Performance (domestic and international)
  2. Strength of Competition (league quality is approximated based on various metrics including, but not limited to, national team representation, Gfl rankings, Transfermarkt valuations, average wage, ect.)
  3. Minutes Played (adjusting for physical availability)
  4. Impact (Does a player’s presence correlate with improved team performance? Overperformance of expectations? Stronger defensive performance?)
  5. Market perception (who’s tried to buy a player, team’s valuations, ect, ect.)

     

  1. Historic Value (Class over Form)
  1. Team Performance 
  2. Strength of Competition
  3. Impact
  4. Minutes Played
  5. Accolades
  6. Recency
  7. Age/Health

 

  1.   Data
  1. Eye Test/Film-Tracking
  2. Granular Metrics (g/a, chances created, post-shot xg, ect.)
  3. Holistic Metrics (G+, IMPECT, ect)
  4. Underlying Metrics (xG, xA, xT, ect.)

      

  1. Clutchness
  1. Performance in big games (club or country)
  2. Performance against better competition (club or country)

     

  1. Team Context
  1. Stylistic Fit
  2. Distribution of “goodness” (Ex: Dortmund are disproportionately weak defensively while Crystal Palace are disproportionately strong defensively)
  3. Versatility (How has a player’s value performance/value translated in various situations/roles)

       

With that out of the way…

World Cup Positional Depth Chart

Goalkeepers

Tier 1

Courtois, Allison or Ederson, De Gea, Neuer, Navas

Tier 2

Lloris, Musso or Rulli, Pickford, Onana, Muslera, Smhiechel, Sommer, Bonou, Patricio, Szczęsny, Mendy

Tier 3

Eliji Kawashinma,  Beiranvand, Borjan, Rajković, Livaković, Krul, Ryan,  Sad Al Sheeb

(Both Turner and Horvath go here)

Tier 4

Ochoa, Hennesey, Kim Seung-gyu

(Sean Johnson, Stefan Frei, Gaga Slonina, Brad Stuver, and Josh Cohen go here)

Tier 5

Attah, Galindez, Al-Owas, Mouez Hassen

(Zack Steffen goes here)

Notes

-> Keylor Navas and Jordan Pickford both get a “clutch” boost from disproportionately strong national team performances in WCQ and the Euros respectively.

 

-> Navas also gets a boost from “historic value”having arguably peaked as the best keeper on the planet. Going by recent club play Navas is not a “Tier 1” keeper, but the combination of maybe the most impressive carry-job from anyone in this cycle’s world cup qualifiers and a very impressive track record (for club and country) affords him some leeway.

 

-> Despite the relative weakness of the “Qatar Stars League”, Qatari keeper Saad Al Sheeb rides a decade of international success, a half-decade of domestic dominance, and a solid set of individual accolades (for both club and country) into Tier 3. Leagues are not monoliths. Between a 3rd place finish at the Club World Cup, an AFC Champions league win, and 3 league titles in the last four years, Al Saad has established themselves as a formidable force in Asia.  At the heart of this success was Al Sheeb who has emerged as one of the continent’s most accomplished players.

Strikers

Tier 1:

Lewandowski, Benzema, Kane, Messi

Tier 2:

Ronaldo, Neymar, Lukaku/Origi, Werner/Havertz, David/Larin, Vlahovic, Depay, Suarez/Nunez

Tier 3:

Raul Jiminez, Poulsen, Bale, Nesyri, De Jong, Choupo-Mouting/Aboubakar, Dia, Kramaric, Azmoun/Taremi 

(Pefok goes here)

Tier 4:
Asano, Ui-Jo, Khazri, Gyan, Embolo, Akim Afif

(Jesus Ferreira, Sargent, Wright, and Vasquez go here)

Tier 5:

Duke, Estrada, Al-Sheri, Ugalde

(Pepi, Hoppe, and Zardes go here with everyone else)

Notes

-> Ronaldo registers higher here than one might expect based on his recent form thanks to what he’s accomplished in previous seasons. With the Portuguese attacker reportedly pushing for a move in the off-season, I’m considering CR7’s production last season more relevant to assessing him than his goal-less start to this one. Rating Ronaldo is tricky as his granular production and impact signals don’t always line up; on one hand Ronaldo contributed to many goals(0.77 g/a per 90 in the league) for a disappointing United last season. On the other, United became disappointing after they signed him. I think fit is a large factor here (Ragnick is the father of Geggenpressing and Ronaldo, now in his 30’s, isn’t a forward you should be asking to running at defenders), but between United underperforming, his limitations (age-induced) in other facets of the game, and a goal-less start to 22-23, it’s hard to justify placing him at the top. 

 

-> One might be tempted to bump Messi off Tier 1 due to diminished goal-scoring, a move to a significantly weaker league, and the myriad benefits that come when you play on a team that is much better than any of your (domestic) competition. On the other hand, Messi was one of the best creators in Ligue 1 last year(Top 5 in chances created, PPA, xA, assists, and progressive passes), scored at a high rate against elite European competition(5 goals in 7 games), and played a key role for Argentina in a Copa America win and an undefeated qualifying campaign against the most difficult qualification schedule in the world. Additionally, Messi significantly underperformed his xG last season(may just be a cold-streak) and his scoring has seemingly returned(to some extent) for 2022-23. All that considered, I still have Messi in the top tier of forwards.

 

-> American forward Pefok is tricky to assess for a number of reasons. For one, he’s disproportionately weak at non-scoring aspects at the game. For another his sample size against elite competition is incredibly small. Pefok has 7 g/a over 12 games in the last 2 seasons against teams in the top 4 leagues. Making this more impressive is that most of those goals and games came on a plucky Swiss underdog against teams good enough to qualify for European competitions. While very impressive on the surface, the exceedingly small sample size, and Pefok’s weaknesses in other aspects(significant enough that he’s been left out of several US camps entirely) cast some doubt on the reigning Swiss Super League golden boot winner. That said,  Pefok was signed by and is currently starting for a Bundesliga team that finished 5th last year and has started the current campaign tied on points with Bayern. While Union are likely to regress, they’ve done enough with Pefok as a starter to solidify Pefok as a Tier 3 attacker.

 

-> Welsh Forward Gareth Bale and Mexican Forward Raul Jiminez stay in Tier 3 largely due to what they’ve done previously. Raul Jiminez was Wolves most valuable player when they were pushing for Europe in 2019-20. Bale earns leeway thanks to highs achieved with maybe the greatest club team ever(Bale played a significant role in Madrid’s remarkable Champions League three-peat) and two massive performances against Austria and Ukraine in one-off wcq playoffs to send Wales to their first world cup in 64 years.

 

-> Costa Rican forward Manfred Ugalde refused call-ups during WCQ saying he won’t play for “Los Ticos” as long as Luis Fernando Suarez remains coach. Nonetheless, since Manfred is the most promising Costa Rican attacker since Joel Campbell, is getting regular minutes for one of the best teams in the eredivisie, and his national team is bereft of decent alternatives, for the sake of this depth chart, Manfred Ugalde will represent the Ticos.

 

-> Having yet to earn a start, Canadian forward Cyle Larin isn’t having the best of starts at Club Brugge. Form, however, is not class and Cyle Larin’s recent track-record includes leading all players in wcq in goals, scoring the second most international goals in 2021, and leading the front-line for the most prolific offense in Super Lig history. With all that in mind, I’m giving Larin some benefit of the doubt.

Wingers/Second Attackers:

 

Tier 1:

Viniscus/Ralphina, Mbappe/Coman, Sterling/Sancho, Silva/Jota, Sane/Muisala, KDB

 

Tier 2:

Alvares/Correa, Pino/Olmo, Alphonzo Davies/Buchanan, Mane/Sarr, Wijnaldum/Klassen, Tadic

(Pulisic and Aaronson go here)

Tier 3:

Corona/Lozano, Son/Hwang, Perisic/Vlasic, Vargas/Shaqiri, Ito/Takumi, Zlenski/Syzmanski, Ayew/Paintsil, Ziyech/Amallah 

Tier 4:

Olsen/Damsgaard, Rossi/Pellistri, Gholizadeh/Jahanbakhsh, James/Morrell, Ekambi/Hongla, Muwallad/Al-Dawasari, Leal/Campbell, Valencia/Plata

(Weah and Tilman go here with Tilman being interchangeable with Djordje Mihailovic or Paul Arriola)

Tier 5:

Haydos/Hatem, Mabil/Boyle, Msakini/Sliti

(Arriola and Morris go here with everyone else)

Notes

-> Canada is an example of how looking at the average “goodness” of a PG instead of how good the best player from a PG can lead to different results. Tajon Buchanan is a good player on a good team but I don’t see him as a peer of players like Sancho, one of Europe’s most prolific chance creators at 20 with Dortmund, or Jota, a first-choice starter for one of the most dominant club sides in history. Thus, Canada drop to Tier 2, even with maybe the best left-back on the planet in Davies.

 

-> While Davies usually plays as a left-back with Bayern, Canada usually plays him as an out and out attacker. Additionally, listing Davies as an attacker allows room for Canada’s other fullbacks on the field. Remember, this ranking prioritizes talent over fit. 

 

-> Ghanian winger Joseph Plantsil has significantly upped his minutes for a Genk team that looks to be better in 2022-23 than it was in 2021-22. As a result my evaluation of Plantsil has improved lifting Ghana’s wingers from Tier 4 to Tier 3. Form may not be class, but it’s still something.

 

-> Serbia and Belgium mostly play with three center backs instead of two. The trade-off is they’re left with one second attacker instead of two wingers. For Belgium it’s creative maestro Kevin de Bruyne(KDB). For Serbia its savvy swiss army knife Dusan Tadic. PG classification doesn’t necessarily align with the specific function a player serves for their national team. Again, this ranking prioritizes talent over fit.

 

Fullbacks/Wingbacks

 

Tier 1:

Alexander-Arnold/Walker, Hernandez/Pavard, Azpilacueta/Alba, Danilo/Milatoa, Cancelo/Mendez, Kimmich/Gosens

Tier 2:

Tagliafico/Molina, Kostic/Zivkovic, Araujo/Oliveira, Sarr/Toure, Hakimi/Mazraoui, Thorgan Hazard/Meunier

(Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson go here)

Tier 3:

Sosa/Juranovic, Larsen/Maehle, Arteaga/Sanchez, Gamboa/Matarrita, Preciado/Estupinan, Widmer/Rodriguez, Bereszyński/Cash, Wass/Maehl, Al Breik/Al Shahrani

(Joe Scally and Sam Vines go here with Vines being interchangeable with Yedlin or Henry Wingo)

Tier 4:

Mensah/Odoi, Tolo/Oyongo, Maaloul/Drager, Adekugbe/Johnston, Nagatomo/Yamane

(Deandre Yedlin and Henry Wingo go here with either being interchangeable with Reggie Cannon, Shaq Moore, John Tolkien, Kevin Paredes, and DeJuan Jones)

Tier 5:

Moharrami/Amiri, Ahmed/Ro-Ro, Yong-Lee/Kwin-Moon-Han, Atkinson/Behich, Robert/Williams

(Shaq Moore and George Bello go here with everyone else)

Notes

-> English right back Trent Alexander-Arnold(TAA) hasn’t been a first-choice starter for Gareth Southgate’s England. TAA has been a first-choice starter for a Liverpool side who’s current iteration has few historical peers. Trent has been Liverpool’s primary chance creator and a critical opponent for their attack. Trent has arguably been the best creator in England, leading the league in expected assists, chances created, and progressive passes; finishing second in assists and passes towards the 18(PPA), and finishing 8th in expected threat(xT). Considering that Trent is also a solid ball carrier and a decent(if not spectacular) defender, you’d be hard-pressed to argue TAA isn’t one of the best players around. While he may not fit into Southgate’s plans, TAA is, for my money, one of the best players in the world and therefore an easy choice for Tier 1.

 

-> Despite the relative weakness of the Saudi Professional League, Saudi right back Mohammed Al Breik, like many of his countrymen, rides the tide that is Al Hilal SC. Dubbed the “The Asian Galacticos”, Al Hilal hold a record 8 AFC Champions league titles(2 from the last 4 years), a record 18 Saudi Professional League titles(5 from the last 6), is ranked #1 in Asia by most ranking sites, and was voted as the “Best Asian Club of the 20th century” by IFFHS. Put simply, Al Hilal is the crown prince of Asian football, and Al Breik, a regular fixture since 2015, has shared in its glory. With two AFC Champions League wins, 5 Saudi Professional League wins, 2 top 4 finishes at the Club World Cup, a combined 13 major trophies in 9 years as a pro, and a spot in the IFFHS “AFC Team of the Decade”, Al Breik is a giant in Asian football. Saudi left back Yasser Al-Shahrani didn’t get a spot in the “AFC Team of the Decade” like Al Breik, but has won the same silverware as a fixture in Al Hilal’s lineup and has won nearly twice as many caps for his country. Together, they represent “The Green Falcons” at Tier 3.

 

-> While they only employ one player on this list, Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly represents an even higher tide than Al Hilal. Besides winning a record 10 CAF Champions leagues(2 of last 3), 42 domestic league titles(13 of the last 15), and just about everything that can be won in African soccer(usually more times than anyone else),  “The Red Giant” have been quite successful outside of Africa, running the the table on Afro-Asian competitions and earning three Top 3 finishes at the Club World Cup(including its last 2 iterations). Notably, in the last CWC, they thumped the “Asian Galacticos” 4-0 to clinch bronze. The year before, they took third via a penalty win over Copa Libertadores champion Palmeiras. With Egypt’s national team missing out on Qatar, Al Ahly has one representative for 2022: Tunsian left back Ali Malooul. A mainstay for “The Red Giant ” since 2016, Ali Malooul has been named to the CAF team of the year three times and has been involved in the most successful era for arguably the most successful club team outside of UEFA or CONMEBOL. The same cannot be said for Tunisian right back Mohamed Drager who was loaned to the nearly relegated FC Luzern after making one matchday squad for championship side Nottingham Forest and 2 appearances for Nottingham Forest’s u-21 team(Mohamed is 26). Thus, despite Ali Malooul’s accomplishments, Tusnia’s wide backs slot into tier 4.

 

-> Moroccan right back Noussair Mazaroui finds himself in the unfortunate position of his country’s best player, Achraf Haikimi, playing the same position on the same side of the field. Thus, he’s usually left out of the lineup while natural left back Adam Masina plays on the other side. However, as far as quality goes, becoming a first choice starter for Ajax, reaching the champions league knockouts, and getting minutes for Bayern while being a fixture in the matchday squad are all solid indicators. As this project prioritizes quality over fit, Mazaroui gets to line-up for “The Atlas Lions” here, even if he won’t do it in Qatar.

 

Midfielders

Tier 1:

Kante/Pogba/Nkunku, Rodri/Koke/Gavi, Gundogan/Kimmich/Goretska, Casemiro/Fabinho/Fred, Paul/Peredes/Rodriguez

 

Tier 2:

Moutinho/Fernandes/Palhinha, Bellingham/Henderson/Phillips, Bentancur/Valverde, Wijnandum/De Jong/Van de Beek, Modric/Brozovic/Pasali, Gueye/Mendy/Kouyate, Eden Hazard/Witsel, Hojberg/Eriksen

(Mckennie, Adams, and Reyna go here)

Tier 3:

Herrera/Alvarez/Guardado, Freuler/Shaqiri/Zakaria, Savic/Lukic/Gudelj, Lee Jae-Sung/Jeong Woo-yeong/Hwang In-beom, Partey/Baba/Kudus
(Musah can go here)

Tier 4 

Eustaquio/Hutchinson, Kamada/Endo/Morita, Amrabat/Barkok, Moder/Bielik/Linetty, Romdhane/Laidouni/Chaalali, Caicedo/Franco/Gruezo, Kanno/Al-Najei/Al-Faraj, Ramsey/Allen, Mooy/Hrustic/Irvine

(Yunus Musah, Kellyn Acosta, and Luca de La Torre go here with Busio, Roldan, and Duane Holmes being interchangeable with all three)

Tier 5

Nourollahi/Ezatolahi, Oum Gouet/Onana, Borges/Tejeda

(Eryk Williamson, Alan Sonora, and Paxton Pomykal go here with everyone else)

Notes

-> Belgium, Uruguay, Cameroon, and Iran generally use an extra forward at the expense of a third midfielder. Canada has made substantial use of both two striker and one striker set-ups, but to keep the quartet of David, Davies, Larin, and Buchanan on the field. i’m choosing a two striker set-up at the expense of a third mid.

 

-> Denmark has 10 players on teams set to play in the 22-23 UEFA Champions league. Of those 10, 4 are first-choice starters and of those starters, 2 play for a club in the “big 4” leagues. One of these 2 is Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg. Unlike many of his countrymen plying their trade at higher levels, Hojbjerg hasn’t struggled for minutes, playing literally every minute for a Tottenham side that has started 2022-2023 undefeated. Additionally, Christian Eriksen has performed well since brushing with death at the Euros. Upon his arrival in 21-22, Brentford experienced an immediate uptick in form, going 7-3-1(W-L-T) with Eriksen on the field(they had a record of 5-15-6 without him). His heroics at West London earned him a move to the red part of Manchester where Eriksen has played 98% of available minutes for Manchester United. Combined, the improvement in play/team form for Hojberg and the successful return of Eriksen as a professional player elevates Denmark’s midfield from Tier 3 to Tier 2.

 

-> Morocco, Costa Rica, Wales, and Denmark lose a third midfielder in exchange for an extra center back. While Costa Rica has made substantial use of both two center back and three center back set-ups(alternating between an extra striker or an extra defender), they tended to use three center backs when facing more talented opposition. Since Costa Rica is less talented than their three group stage opponents, I’ve decided to go with the extra defender.

 

-> Wales’s World Cup squad is likely to feature the most lower division players, including Swansea City midfielder Joe Allen. His partner-in-crime is former Arsenal player Aaron Ramsey who’s presently struggling for starts at Nice; currently winless in Ligue 1. Wales are currently the second highest ranked team with a Tier 4 midfield per Elo(22), and the highest ranked team with a Tier 4 midfield per Fifa(19). Strategy can minimize weaknesses; by focusing on direct attacks and dropping their lines under pressure, Wales are able to shift the game towards their Tier 3 attacker and their Tier 3 defenders. Consequently, Wales have been able to make do with a relatively weak midfield corps.



Centerbacks

Tier 1:

Marquinhos/Silva, Verane/Kimpembe, Laporte/Torres, Diaz/Pereia, VVD/De Ligt, Rudiger/Sule

Tier 2:

Romero/Otamendi, Stones/Maguire, Christensen/Andersen/Kjaer, Koulibaly/Diallo

Tier 3:

Akanji/Schar, Alderweireld/Jan Vertonghen/Boyota, Gimenez/Godin, Lovren/Gvardiol, Saiss/Aguerd/Mmaee, Pavlović/Veljković/Milenković, Hincapie/Torres, Djiku/Amartey, Ben Davies/Ampadu/Rodon

(Richards, Ream and Brooks go here)

Tier 4:

Moreno/Araujo, Yoshida/Itakura, Glik/Bednarek, Ngadeu-Ngadjui/Castelletto, Al-Amri/Al-Bulaihi

(Walker Zimmerman and Erick Palmer Brown go here with either being interchangeable with Cameron Carter Vickers, James Sands, Miles Robinson, and Matt Mizaga)

Tier 5:

Kanaanizadegan/Khalilzadeh, Min-jae/Kyung-won, Talbi/Ghandri, Miller/Vitoria, Calvo/Watson/Vargas, Wright/Rowles

(Aaron Long goes here with everyone else)

Notes

-> It might be a surprise for some that John Brooks, who seems to have fallen out of favor with USMNT Coach Gregg Berhalter, is placed a tier ahead of various, recently capped, American center backs. However, this list prioritizes “goodness” over fit(or player-coach relationships), and between multiple seasons of strong play in the Bundesliga, being signed by by a reigning UCL Quarterfinalist, and an arguable “best player on the team” performance during the 2021 Nations League, I’m comfortable putting Brook’s roster snubs down to factors besides how good he is at soccer. 

 

-> The going has been rough for Ecuadorian center back Piero Hincapie and Bayer Leverkusen; losing all but one of their first 5 games with Piero suspended for game 6. Form, however, is not class. Piero was a first choice starter for “The Company’s Eleven” as they made a surprise top 3 finish in the bundesliga last season. The going has been good for fellow Ecuadorian Felix Torres who’s Santos Laguna is currently top 4 in the standings for the Apetura. Together they slot into Tier 3 giving Ecuador 4 starters in roughly average territory. The other 7 have been slotted into tier 4 or 5 which is remarkable considering “La Tri”’s recent competitive performance: Ecuador were 3rd throughout most of CONMEBOL qualifying, only slipping to 4th when they were guaranteed a World Cup spot with games to spare, notched multiple results vs Brazil and Argentina, and are ranked 18th in elo which places them among 15th among teams referenced in this list. A team can be better than the sum of their parts and Ecuador have arguably gotten more out of their players than anyone else.

 

-> Significantly younger American center back Chris Richards also finds himself in a pickle, with 1 start for Crystal Palace through the beginning of 2022-23. While not the best of looks, context makes this more palatable. Crystal Palace are disproportionately good at the position of center back. While limited elsewhere, their center backs are elite by Premier League standards. Chris Richards locked in a starting spot with Hoffenheim last season as they pushed for Champions League qualification, has a statistically strong profile over multiple years in the Bundesliga, and was deemed valuable enough to Bayern that they set out a minimum fee of 20 million when Chris Richards insisted on a move. Ultimately Richards was too good for Bayern to let him go cheaply, but not good enough(yet) to be more to Bayern, one of the best teams on the planet, than depth. All considered, Richards is probably good at soccer. If things go well(say Richards becomes a starter at Crystal Palace and Brooks kills it with Benfica), 2022-23 might push the Yanks to Tier 2. If things go badly(say Richards stops getting playing time and Brooks is demonstrably out of his depth), they could drop to Tier 4. For now, with the World Cup fast approaching, they’ll have to settle for being middle-of-the-pack.

 

-> The going has also been rough for Senegalese center backs Kalidou Koulibaly and Abdou Diallo. The former has seen his team(Chelsea) sputter out of the gates while the latter has yet to see a single minute of action. Nonetheless, form isn’t class, and both centerbacks got significant minutes last season for two of the best teams on the planet. Even with 22-23 starting sub-optimally, it’s hard to put Senegal’s duo lower than Tier 2. This leaves all of Senegal’s starters, save for Tier 3 striker Boulaye Dia, at Tier 2 with certain individuals, like Mane, being worthy of Tier 1. With 1 player in average territory and the rest ranging from good to world-class, Senegal’s recent competitive performance is remarkably…disappointing. With losses to sides like Egypt and Zambia, and a plethora of non-wins against sides like Togo, Guinea, and Malawi, Senegal are ranked 47th according to Elo, which puts them 28th among teams on this list. A team can be less than the sum of their parts and Senegal have arguably gotten less out of their talent than anyone else.






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USMNT

Breaking the Mold: Freese a Unique USMNT Goalkeeper

Published

1 week ago

on

December 12, 2025

By

Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)

With only the March window left before Mauricio Pochettino finalizes the 2026 World Cup roster, one major question remains: who can truly be trusted to guard the net? It’s a debate still dividing media, fans, and observers alike.

The USMNT has produced some legendary goalkeepers over the past four decades, but the current pool has yet to see anyone truly seize the No. 1 spot. For a while, it looked like Matt Turner might start in back-to-back World Cups, but after a poor summer performance against Switzerland, he lost his place to Matt Freese. Freese went on to start the last thirteen matches, yet outside of his heroics in the 2025 Gold Cup penalty shootout, echoing Turner’s run in 2023, Freese hasn’t fully convinced me he should be the starter at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Since the 1990 cycle, five USMNT goalkeepers, Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard, and Matt Turner, have earned the World Cup starting role. Each of them logged minutes in the grueling World Cup qualifying process before taking the job. But Matt Freese could become the first USMNT goalkeeper to start a World Cup without ever playing a single qualifier.

Tony Meola – 1990 Italy World Cup

1990 World Cup Finals, Florence, Italy, 10th June, 1990, Czechoslovakia 5 v USA 1, USA’s goalkeeper Tony Meola shouting instructions to his defenders (Photo by Bob Thomas Sports Photography via Getty Images)

Creator: Bob Thomas | Credit: Getty Images

Tony Meola remains the youngest goalkeeper ever to start a World Cup for the USMNT. He went on to start in back-to-back tournaments and later served as the backup at the 2002 World Cup alongside Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller.

First Cap (Age) – June 7, 1998 (19 years, 3 month & 17 days)

World Cup 1990 (Age) – (21 years, 3 months, 10 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 17
Matches Started – 15
Minutes Played – 1,395
Wins – 7
Shutouts – 6

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 4
Matches Started – 4
Minutes Played – 360
Wins – 2
Shutouts – 4

Kasey Keller – 1998 France World Cup

21 Jun 1998: USA goalkeeper Kasey Keller throws out during the World Cup group F game against Iran at the Stade Gerland in Lyon, France. Iran won 2-1. \ Mandatory Credit: Ben Radford /Allsport

Kasey Keller, one of the backups to Tony Meola at the 1990 World Cup, was left off the 1994 roster but later reestablished himself in the USMNT picture. He went on to become the primary starter for the 1998 and 2006 World Cups and served as the backup on the 2002 team.

Creator: Ben Radford | Credit: Getty Images

First Cap (Age) – February 4, 1990 (20 years, 2 months & 6 days)

World Cup 1998 (Age) – (28 years, 6 months, 15 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 34
Matches Started – 33
Minutes Played – 2,790
Wins – 18
Shutouts – 16

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 9
Matches Started – 9
Minutes Played – 810
Wins – 5
Shutouts – 6

Brad Friedel – 2002 Korea/Japan World Cup

1 Sep 2001: USA Goalkeeper Brad Friedel organises his defence during the FIFA 2002 World Cup Qualifier between USA and Honduras played at the RFK Stadium in Washington, USA. Honduras won the match 3 – 2. \ Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill /Allsport

Creator: Clive Brunskill | Credit: Getty Images

Brad Friedel, who started all five U.S. matches at the 2002 World Cup and made one start in 1998, earned a place on three USMNT World Cup squads during his career.

First Cap (Age) – September 3, 1992 (21 years, 3 months, 16 days)

World Cup 2002 (Age) – (31 years, 0 months, 5 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 76
Matches Started – 74
Minutes Played – 6,453
Wins – 25
Shutouts – 23

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 13
Matches Started – 13
Minutes Played – 1,125
Wins – 7
Shutouts – 4

Tim Howard – 2010 South Africa

Creator: Ronald Wittek | Credit: Alamy

Tim Howard, the oldest first-time World Cup starter among this group, may also be the most accomplished. He appeared on three World Cup rosters, and likely would have made a fourth had the USMNT qualified in 2018.

First Cap (Age) – March 10, 2002 (23 years, 0 months, 4 days)

World Cup 2010 (Age) – (31 years, 3 months, 12 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 51
Matches Started – 50
Minutes Played – 4,185
Wins – 31
Shutouts – 23

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 16
Matches Started – 16
Minutes Played – 1,440
Wins – 12
Shutouts – 8

Matt Turner – 2022 Qatar

goalkeeper Matt Turner of the United States clears the ball away with a header during the World Cup, group B soccer match between the United States and Wales, at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)

Creator: Francisco Seco | Credit: AP

Turner seized his opportunity when an unwell Zack Steffen was forced off the roster to start the World Cup qualifying, stepping in to start the first of eight World Cup qualifiers. His performances solidified his place as the USMNT’s starting goalkeeper for the 2022 World Cup.

First Cap (Age) – January 31, 2021 (26 years, 9 months, 3 days)

World Cup 2022 (Age) – (28 years, 4 months, 21 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 20
Matches Started – 20
Minutes Played – 1,800
Wins – 14
Shutouts – 14

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – 8
Matches Started – 8
Minutes Played – 720
Wins – 4
Shutouts – 4

Matt Freese

Courtesy USMNT

Matt Freese would have the shortest runway of any USMNT goalkeeper, from earning his first cap to potentially starting at a World Cup. He would also become the first U.S. keeper to start at a World Cup without having played a single World Cup qualifier.

First Cap (Age) – June 5, 2025 (26 years, 9 months, 3 days)

World Cup 2026 (Age) – (27 years, 9 months, 12 days)

Overall Stats heading into the World Cup
Matches Played – 13
Matches Started – 13
Minutes Played – 1,170
Wins – 7*
Shutouts – 3*

World Cup Qualifying Stats
Matches Played – n/a
Matches Started – n/a
Minutes Played – n/a
Wins – n/a
Shutouts – n/a

It’s clear the USMNT doesn’t have a true front-runner in goal even though Mauricio Pochettino currently leans toward Matt Freese, but as we’ve seen, things can change fast. Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte, Chris Brady, Roman Celentano, and Jonathan Klinsmann will all need to push hard to earn their place on the final roster.

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USMNT

2025 Summer Transfer Window Review

Published

3 weeks ago

on

December 2, 2025

By

Last year, I wrote a stock-up/stock-down article covering ten Americans who either made a move to Europe or to the U.S.  We are closing in on New Year’s and about 6 months until the World Cup (June 11th, 2026), giving us enough data to know if these transfers have been beneficial not just for the players’ club careers, but to make it onto the USMNT for the World Cup.  As American soccer players, this season is the most important season of their international career.  The players are making one last argument for them to be at a USMNT camp and be part of the team when the United States of America co-hosts the FIFA World Cup.  So far, a lot of the European transfers have not gone so well, compared to the domestic transfers.  

*All information is up to date as of December 1st, 2025.

Yunus Musah to Atalanta (loan)- Stocks Down


When Massimiliano Allegri took over AC Milan, he cleaned house.  Twenty-four players were permanently transferred out of the club or sent on loan (some for positive reasons and others, not so much).  Yunus Musah happened to be one of those 24 players.  AC Milan sent Musah on loan to fellow Serie A club, Atalanta, with an option to buy that is worth $28 million.  As things stand, it does not look like Atalanta will trigger their buy option at the end of the season.  Musah has only one start and has appeared in 9 matches (a total of 203 minutes) while being available for a total of 16 matches since joining the Nerazzurri.  When it comes to goal contributions, Musah has only one assist coming from the Champions League match against Club Brugge.  When it comes to passing, Musah’s accuracy has not been bad (83.5%), but he is lacking in chances created with only 3. 

He has never been known for scoring goals, but his total shots this half of the season are as low as 0.6.  As for his defensive work, it has been average.  He has only 2 interceptions, has lacked successful tackles (25% success rate at 1/4), and he has committed a penalty.  The only positive is his ball recovery rate, which is at 16.  Statistically, the only areas where he sees positive results have been in his dribbling (60% completion) and duels won (59.5%).  From Atalanta’s standpoint, if he is offering little in the final third and in your defensive half, then what is the purpose of starting him?  As for the USMNT, his poor form at his club has not gone unnoticed by Mauricio Pochettino.  The last time Musah received a call-up to the USMNT was for the Gold Cup, which he turned down and that could be a contributing factor to why he has not been called up since.  Others in the midfield, and at right wing, have been able to stake their claim onto the team.  At this point, we will not be seeing Yunus Musah make it onto the 26-man team this coming summer.

Johnny Cardoso to Atlético Madrid- Stock Down


One of the biggest transfers this past window for an American, and one of the closest followed transfers in Spain, was Johnny Cardoso’s $35 million (according to Goal) move to Atlético Madrid on a 5-year deal.  Johnny was coming off a solid season with Real Betis that showed a promising career in Europe.  He collected 4 goals and one assist as a defensive midfielder.  In just two months of being at Real Betis, Johnny won the LaLiga U23 Player of the Month for February 2024.  Fast forward to today, due to his lack of opportunities with Atleti and his USMNT form, his hopes of being at the World Cup are fading. 

During pre-season, he made his way onto the starting XI for Atleti starting in the first three matches of the season.  Sadly, he picked up an ankle injury that led him to miss 9 matches.  Since returning on September 13th, 2025, Johnny went 5 matches without receiving a single minute.  Diego Simeone has opted to go with veteran player, Koke, to start alongside Pablo Barrios and Conor Gallagher as the substitution.  He finally got his chance when Simeone named him on the Starting XI in their UCL match against Inter Milan on November 26th, 2025.  For someone who had not played a single minute since August, Johnny had a good game in the 59 minutes he received.  When we look at the stats from those four matches, there were positives.  His pass accuracy sits at 77% with 62% total duels won.  Johnny also completed 67% of his dribbles, had 4 interceptions, 2.65 tackles per game, 9 clearances, and 9 balls recovered.  Obviously, stats alone will not keep you on the pitch and the performances of the other midfielders as of late have made it difficult for Johnny. 

Atleti fans on social media are happy with his performances, believe he should be a starter, and believe he is an important player to the team.  Time is running out for him at the international level though with the final USMNT friendly camp coming up in March.  He must make an argument for himself to get into that camp to get one last shot at the World Cup.  If Johnny builds on his performance from the Inter Milan match, he could see himself in that final camp.

Paxten Aaronson to Colorado Rapids- Club: Stock Down

This will be seen as controversial by many MLS fans, but Paxten receives a stock down mostly because the move has not improved his chances of making it onto the USMNT and the impression that his career has regressed.  Eintracht Frankfurt’s sporting director, Timmo Hardung, said, “With a view to the 2026 World Cup, which is taking place in his home country, among others, he made the request to take his next step at the Colorado Rapids.”  During the Gold Cup, we saw 16 MLS players take part in the campaign.  Paxten only received 58 minutes in total, when you include the friendly against Switzerland.  It was the only camp he was called up to in 2025.  We saw the likes of Diego Luna, Brian Gutierrez, Jack McGlynn, Luca de la Torre, and Sebastian Berhalter were either getting called up ahead of him and/or receiving more minutes than he was at the Gold Cup. 

It set a precedent that no matter how well you perform in a top seven league, like the Eredivisie, the performance of those in the MLS will outweigh yours.  In Paxten’s case, he had 8 goals and 4 assists in 30 starts for Utrecht, helping them finish 5th in the top Dutch league.  His performance at Utrecht was enough for him to be part of Eintracht Frankfurt’s 2025/2026 campaign, who is competing in the UCL, part as stated by Hardung, Paxten submitted a transfer request to join Colorado Rapids.  Yes, Paxten is getting regular minutes at Colorado instead of being a bench player, but he is coming back to MLS after just 2 ½ years in Europe.  Despite receiving 571 minutes, Paxten only scored one goal and got 0 assists.  It was not enough for Poch to give Paxten another chance with the USMNT, and the transfer had been all for nothing.

Malik Tillman to Bayer Leverkusen- Stock Up

Three seasons ago (the 2022/2023 season), Malik Tillman left the Bundesliga after agreeing to a loan deal to Rangers F.C. from Bayern München.  For the following season, Tillman went on loan to PSV Eindhoven, which became a permanent deal.  This season, he is back in the Bundesliga, but this time with Bayer Leverkusen.  In his debut match for Die Werkself, he scored a goal at the 35-minute mark.  It has been a slow start for Tillman in the G/A department with only 3 goals in 12 matches, but there are still many positives to this move that show he can make it in the Bundesliga.  When available, Tillman started in 10 matches, 3 of which have been UCL matches, and a total of 815 minutes played.  Right now, Tillman has 1.50 xG in the Bundesliga with 187 goals per minute. 

He also has a goal conversion of 25% to add on top of that.  Outside of scoring, his pass accuracy is at 85%, but he has 0 assists and only 6 chances created.  Defensively, Tillman has intercepted the ball 8 times, recovered it 33 times, 3 blocked shots, and has a success rate of 79.9% (18/24) tackles.  Additionally, he has won 50% of his duels.  A major reason why Tillman gets a stock up is because of one reason, he is playing consistently at a high level.  Diego Luna is in the MLS and towards the end struggled with his production (it also did not help when Tillman looked like the better 10 in the Gold Cup). 

Paxten would not be a starter for Eintracht Frankfurt if he had stayed and he took a step backwards.  Gio Reyna is in the Bundesliga as well and is one of our most talented players, but he only has 189 minutes for Mönchengladbach.  Despite Tillman’s continued issue of performing consistently, the fact he is getting regular minutes at a top five league club and finally performing for the USMNT, has locked him in as the #1 CAM for the U.S. at the World Cup.

Damion Downs to Southampton- Stock Down


Damion Downs scored 2 goals in 179 minutes just shy of turning 20 years old.  He followed this up with 10 goals and 3 assists in his first full season in a professional league when FC Köln was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga.  FC Köln won the league and with-it promotion back into the Bundesliga.  Downs contribution to the campaign got him a move to English Championship club, Southampton.  Anyone who understands English football and Southampton’s striker depth knew this was a risky move.  Prior to Downs joining, the club had Cameron Archer, Adam Armstrong, and Ross Stewart.  So far, the transfer is going poorly and that is disappointing for a promising player.  In 395 minutes, Downs has only one assist and gone 2 matches as an unused substitute.  To make matters worse, he has only been on the matchday team sheet 16 times out of the possible 21 matches (Downs missed one match due to illness). 

This move was not only important for Downs’ domestic career, but also his international career.  During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Downs tried out for the U.S. Olympic team, but Marko Mitrović cut Downs from the team just before the Games.  This led him to join Germany’s U20 to take part in their U20 Elite League campaign.  It took Pochettino to give him an opportunity at the 2025 Gold Cup for Downs to rejoin the U.S.  The goal for Downs would be to take that third striker spot with the USMNT this coming World Cup.  Looking at his club form, that will not happen. 

If you are looking for any positives, there are two.  One, Downs is only 21 years old, so there is still plenty of time to recover his domestic career.  Second, Downs is not the only striker at Southampton that has been struggling.  Ross Stewart and Cameron Archer only have 2 goals, and one assist each this season.  There is still the second half of the season to recover to possibly slide into the 2026 World Cup roster.  If not, there is still the 2030 World Cup, which he will be 26 years old.

Patrick Agyemang to Derby County- Stock Down


When the Gold Cup campaign began, Patrick Agyemang started all but one match, when you included the two friendly matches.  Prior to the Gold Cup, Agyemang was part of ‘Camp Cupcake’ and the Nations League finals in March.  In the three camps, he scored five goals.  Many fans and pundits were calling him to be a lock for the USMNT and that appeared to be certain after the Gold Cup, but that is where it ended for him.  For the September camp, Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent, and Damion Downs were selected over Agyemang.  Hope returned when he was called in for the October camp, but he did not receive a single minute in the two matches. 

Then came the November camp where he did not get the call from Pochettino.  What could have happened that led him to fall out of favor with Pochettino?  There are two reasons: Balogun and Pepi have returned from injury, and Agyemang has been in poor form at Derby County.  In 11 starts and 953 minutes played, Agyemang has only 3 goals and 3 assists.  In comparison, fellow American and Championship player, Haji Wright has 9 goals and 2 assists in 14 starts.  To make matters worse, Agyemang has 318 goals per minute, and his goal conversion is a meager 11%.  His passing has not been the greatest sitting at 69% accuracy, but Agyemang is just short of creating a chance per game at 0.9 (13 chances created).  Besides having a poor goal conversion rate, his ball retention is also poor.  Agyemang has lost 66% of his duels and losses possession 11.2 per game. 

Before his move to Derby County, Agyemang scored 8 goals in the current MLS season and finished last season with 10 goals.  The move has not only been a stock down for him domestically, but also internationally.  Agyemang needs to find his form quickly or he will not be part of the USMNT again this World Cup cycle.

Benjamin Cremaschi to Parma (loan)- Stock Down


Benjamin Cremaschi was someone whose chances of making it to the World Cup were slim, but he took part in ‘Camp Cupcake’ and performed well in the U20 World Cup.  Prior to the U20 World Cup, Cremaschi had yet to make his debut since joining Parma on loan at the end of the summer transfer window.  After winning the golden boot at the U20 World Cup, Cremaschi got his debut, but he has only clocked in 14 minutes in 2 matches.  On seven different occasions, Cremaschi has been an unused substitution by Carlos Cuesta.  The loan deal includes a buy-option and so far, it does not look like Parma will exercise that option.  Cremaschi needs to find his way on to the pitch to convince Parma to make the move permanent. 

The move at first gave some hope that he could get back into the USMNT picture and his showing at the U20 World Cup reinforced that.  Since he has not even reached 25 minutes in Serie A with barely any data and footage to go on, his chances at the World Cup are even less now.  Cremaschi would have to try again during the 2030 World Cup cycle.

Timothy Weah to Marseille (loan)- Stock Up


Even though Tim Weah set a personal record for goal contribution with 10 goals and assists, he only started in 24 matches.  Now, he is on loan where his dad spent a spell at Marseille.  The loan has worked out for Weah so far, starting in 12 of the 15 matches he has appeared in.  Currently, Weah has 2 goals and 2 assists with a goal conversion of 23%.  His passing accuracy is at 87% with 15 chances created.  Weah’s defense has been decent with 59.1% tackles completed, 35 recoveries, and 15 clearances.  The one stat that has been negative for him is his duels at 50%, which is not too bad.  The move back to Ligue 1 has been beneficial to not just his playing time, but more fitting to his playing style. 

Weah is still in the USMNT picture and there should be no doubt that he will be at the World Cup.  The question is, at what position?  Weah has been playing all along the right side for Marseille, mostly at RB.  Now that the USMNT is using a 3-4-2-1, Weah is fighting with Sergiño Dest for that starting RWB spot.  If Pochettino does not plan to have Weah at RWB, does he move to CAM, where the depth is deep, or to striker?  It is likely that Weah would be placed at RWB, but I do not think it is a matter of being #1 or #2.  Depending on who our opponent in the World Cup is would decide if Poch starts Weah or Dest.

 Kristoffer Lund to 1. FC Köln (loan)- Stock Up

A surprise transfer over the summer came from Kris Lund when he joined FC Köln in the Bundesliga on loan.  Lund started off strong when he joined Palermo in Serie B back in 2023/2024, but last season he struggled with his form and getting starts (he only started 24 of the 35 matches he appeared in).  That is why when the report broke out that newly promoted Bundesliga club, FC Köln, signed him on loan with a buy-option, it took U.S. fans by surprise.  It has been up and down for Lund since joining Köln, but the club is midtable and will likely avoid relegation.  Lund has also been starting consistently for Die Geißböcke with 10 starts out of 14 matches.  Due to him getting consistent starts for a midtable Bundesliga club, many USMNT fans have suggested that Pochettino should give Lund another chance. 

That has not happened, either because there is something about his club performance that has not impressed Poch to call him up over John Tolkin and Max Arfsten, or Lund’s performance back in the October 2024 camp that left a bad impression.  Looking at his stats, Lund has not really done anything offensively and that could be a reason why he has not gotten another look by Poch.  His xG is at a low of .20 while his xA sits at .41.  Lund did get his first Bundesliga assist recently in Köln’s match against Werder Bremen.  Lund’s passing has not been too bad with an accuracy of 72.5%, but his chances created are only at 6.  Defensively, he is doing better where he has 10 interceptions, 95.8% (9/12) completed tackles, 31 recoveries, and 36 clearances.  A major negative in his records is that he has committed two penalties. 

The loan has been good for his domestic career and caught the attention of USMNT fans again.  If we are giving a midtable 2. Bundesliga player call-ups, then a midtable Bundesliga player should get another opportunity.  It is doubtful that Lund will be at the March camp and at the World Cup.  The LWB position will likely be covered by Antonee Robinson and Arfsten, one who has been reliable for us since the 2022 cycle and the other who has a 6 G/A this year.  He is 23 years old, so there is always the 2030 World Cup.  Lund simply needs to end the season on a positive note, make his move to Köln permanent, and then perform consistently throughout the next cycle.

Honorable Mention

George Campbell to West Brom Albion- Stock Up


Another surprise transfer was when George Campbell left Montréal for English Championship side, West Brom.  So far, it has not gone too badly for him.  While healthy, he has started in 13 matches with a total of 1,259 minutes.  Campbell has collected 2 clean sheets with 9 interceptions, 81.94% (21/30) successful tackles, 47 recoveries, 73 clearances, and 8 blocked shots.  The only major negative defensive stat Campbell has is committing one error that led to a shot.  He has been successful with his passes by completing 89% of them, but Campbell’s duels have been average, winning 50% of all duels. 

Like Lund, Campbell recently got his first English Championship assist in West Brom’s clash against Swansea off the bench.  Due to the USMNT’s current lack of quality CBs, there were fans suggesting that Pochettino call up Campbell to give him a shot.  The thing is though, Campbell has mostly played at RB, a position that is covered by Sergiño Dest, Alex Freeman, and Joe Scally.  On the upside, Poch has moved to a back 3, which could give Campbell access to the USMNT.  It is doubtful that he will get a chance at the March camp, but he is only 24 years old, and he is now in Europe where he can continue to develop.  The 2030 World Cup is still a reality and that is why he gets a stock up.

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Club News

USL’s American Soccer Dream

Published

1 month ago

on

November 16, 2025

By

USL made national headlines when they announced on February 13th, 2025, their plans to launch a Division One league, followed by the announcement of promotion/relegation on March 19th for the new Division One league, the Championship, and League One.  If sanctioned by US Soccer, USL Division One would be of equal status to MLS and compete for the best major soccer league in the U.S.  The implementation of promotion/relegation in the USL would become the first in the U.S. and test the question asked for many years, “would pro/rel work in the U.S.”  USL HQ informed the public that they planned to have the inaugural season of Division One during the 2027-2028 season with promotion/relegation beginning in 2028.  

Until November 3rd, with the announcement of Tony Scholes being hired as the President of the Division One, only three teams have applied for membership to the inaugural season of Division one: Louisville City, North Carolina FC (who announced at the time of the Scholes news that they would fold until the launch of Division One), and Pittsburgh Riverhounds.  There has been a rapid expansion of teams in the already existing leagues since the two announcements.  Teams joining League One are: Fort Lauderdale FC (2026 debut), New York Cosmos (2026 debut), Port St. Lucie SC (2027 debut), Sporting Cascades FC (2026 debut), and Rodeo FC (2027 debut).  Fort Wayne FC and Sarasota Paradise would also be joining League One from League Two (2026 for both teams).  For the Championship, Reno, NV will once again have a team planned for a 2027 debut.  Along with those teams, USL is actively working to expand to other markets.  The markets and partners they are looking at are Brevard County, FL (Space Coast Pro Soccer), Riverside, CA (Riverside Pro Soccer), Brownsville, TX (City of Brownsville), Winter Garden, FL (Central FL Pro Soccer), Santa Rosa, CA (City of Santa Rosa), and Pensacola, FL (City of Pensacola).

Along with these recently announced teams and partnerships, USL has teams joining the organization just in time for promotion/relegation that were announced prior to the February and March news.  Starting with League One, these teams include: Corpus Christi FC (2026 debut) and Athletic Club Boise (2026 debut).  As for the Championship, they will be adding Brooklyn FC (2026 debut), Sporting Jax (2026 debut), Atlético Dallas (2027 debut), Milwaukee Pro Soccer (TBD), USL Pro Iowa (TBD), Buffalo Pro Soccer (TBD), and Ozark United FC (2027 debut), while Santa Barbara Sky FC (2027 debut) would replace Memphis 901 FC.

Other than that, news on the Division One and promotion/relegation had been quiet until USL snatched Tony Scholes from the English Premier League.  Tony Scholes will be the President of Division and help with the implementation of promotion/relegation.  Scholes served as the chief football officer of the EPL and will join USL at the end of the EPL season.  As of November 15, 2025, USL Division One has not been sanctioned as a division one league by US Soccer.  The hiring of Scholes indicates that they are confident this new league will get approved or they have already been told it will, behind closed doors.  The fact that we have not heard news on what the promotion/relegation format would be, and Scholes task would be to help implement it could mean that USL has not come to a decision on one.  Since we do not have any ideas on what the format could be, I want to provide a possible option that they could go with.


One of the biggest questions people have had since the USL announced promotion/relegation was how they would tie it to the playoffs.  There is an option they could do, but it would result in only having one playoff.  USL would have a playoff for Division One, but they would eliminate the concept for the Championship and League One.  It might not be the most popular idea here in the U.S., but the main goal for the lower leagues is to get promoted, not to win a trophy.  They would retain the league title for those two leagues with the winner being the team with the most points at the end of the season, just like how it is in the European leagues.  The purpose is to create fairness for the top performing team(s) in the two lower leagues and reduce confusion.  If there is a need for a playoff format, they could adopt the format the Bundesliga uses where the 16th best team in the first division and the 3rd best in the second division face-off in a two-leg match to see who would be in the first division the following season.  The other option is the Championship concept, where the teams who finished 3rd through 6th in the table compete in a promotion playoff.  The semi-finals are two-leg matches while the final is a single-leg match.  The winner is promoted to the EPL.  The execution of promotion/relegation must be done perfectly to retain fans, gain fans, prevent confusion, and be entertaining.

USL already has a division one league with their women’s Super League, who is competing against the NWSL.  Currently, the S League has only nine teams (Brooklyn FC, Carolina Ascent FC, Dallas Trinity FC, DC Power FC, Ft. Lauderdale United FC, Lexington FC, Spokane Zephyr FC, Sporting Jax, and Tampa Bay Sun FC) to the NSWL’s 14 teams (3 teams in the works).  The Super League will be adding an additional nine teams (Athletic Club Boise, New York Cosmos, Ozark United FC, Buffalo Pro Soccer, Chattanooga Red Wolves FC, Forward Madison FC, Indy Eleven, Oakland Soul SC, and USL Palm Beach) with all but three to have their inaugural season to be determined.  What makes the S League unique from the rest of the soccer leagues in the U.S. is that they use a fall-summer schedule.  Competing against a top five women’s league in the world is a tall ask, but it shows the ambitions of USL.  

They are also willing to take risks by voting to pass promotion/relegation for the men’s league and have a fall-summer schedule for the S League.  If the S League schedule format proves successful, it stands to reason that they would move the men’s leagues to the same schedule.  It would also avoid the organization from having to fight MLS for viewership when the leagues are in play, especially when they launch a direct rival and are at their most ambitious point in their history.  The same can be done for the S League if promotion/relegation is successful for the men.  USL can start establishing lower women’s leagues and introduce promotion/relegation to the women’s game here in the U.S.

Many would say USL still stands no chance at competing against MLS, even with promotion/relegation and having a division one league.  That is the case when you look at the quality of the players is finance, but that is the reason why the USL made these decisions based on the reports prior to the announcements and afterwards.  Promotion/relegation and the introduction of a division one league could see an increase in investors.  We are already seeing that with the likes of Gio Reyna joining Fort Lauderdale as an investor, BellTower Partners investing into USL, Sofia Huerta and Kasey Keller joining the Athletic Club Boise ownership group, and the Chickasaw Nation becoming an investor of the OKC for Soccer just this year alone.  Then there is the expansion fee for MLS, MLS Next Pro, and the USL leagues.  MLS charges an astounding $500 million!  Yes, the money is used to construct a proper stadium, acquire players, etc., but at this point it will discourage many from purchasing a franchise license.  MLS currently only has two leagues and one of them is advertised as a development league to prepare for MLS.  The expansion fee for an independent team to join MLS Next Pro is unknown, but Sports Business Journal reported in 2024 that it is significantly cheaper than the USL Championship.  The fee to join the USL Championship is $20 million while League One is only $5 million.  These two fees are significantly lower than MLS and that will be more appealing to potential owners, but unlike the MLS fee, it is not enough for a stadium, training grounds, and players.  As for what the fee is to join USL Division One, that is unknown at the moment.

I highly recommend reading the ESPN article by Jeff Carlisle titled “Will USL’s Move to Pro-Rel Change U.S. Soccer, Threaten MLS?”  In there, Carlisle discusses the reasons behind the decision and that it is mostly financial.  For example, a USL spokesperson said they expect to see an increase in commercial revenue by 15% to 30% due to promotion/relegation.  Also, the former owner of San Diego Loyal lost $40 million in 4 seasons.  As for the reaction from MLS, we have not heard one yet.  The only possible reaction we have seen from them is what the former MLS Next Pro president, Charles Altchek, told to Backheeled back on March 6th, 2025.  In the interview, he told them they aim to have 40 to 50 teams and a possible second league with one of the MLS Next Pro leagues being a second division, putting it in direct competition with USL Championship.  The biggest question is, whichever league that is, can compete for fans?  Due to the Apple TV deal, we currently do not have the ratings of MLS Next Pro.  The closest idea we have is the attendance, which is 5,580 for USL Championship per match to MLS Next Pro’s 3,361, according to Transfermarkt.  Unlike the attendance, the viewership for USLC is much higher where the season premiere match had 453,000 viewers.  MLS Next Pro’s massive expansion plan announcement date was either a coincidence, or MLS got word USL’s promotion/relegation implementation with the division one news, and this was their response.  I will let you come to your own decision.

It seems, as of right now, it appears MLS will sit back and wait to see how the USL’s Division One and promotion/relegation will play.  Division One and promotion/relegation will either be successful for USL and lead them to the financial success they are hoping for or lead to the possible collapse of USL.  American sports fans are not the only ones keeping their eyes on USL now, but the rest of the soccer world is after their two massive news.  The coming years are going to be exciting times for American soccer!

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