The 2018 World Cup is around the corner and we’ve seen a surge of youth on the US Men’s National Team roster. The past two qualifying games saw no less than 10 players on the field that will not yet be 30 years old in 2018. There were a few more on the roster and still others that missed out on this round, but are on coach Jurgen Klinsmann’s radar.
Around the world we have several prospective studs like Lynden Gooch (age 20) starting on Sunderland in the English Premier League. There are those who have cracked major club lineups like Julian Green (age 21) on Bayern Munich, Emerson Hyndman (age 20) on Bournemouth and Carter-Vickers (age 18) on Spurs who have made the lineup; not to mention strong prospects like Perry Kitchen and Ethan Horvath playing in other parts of Europe who have not yet had their chance to fight for a spot on USMNT.
As we start to look down the stretch it seems several young guns have established themselves at certain positions. Here’s what I think Jurgen’s board for 2018 currently looks like (assuming all are healthy):
Dempsey Altidore
Pulsic Klijstan Bradley Bedoya
JohnsonBrooks Cameron Yedlin
Guzan
Again the above are not my choices for the positions, this is my guess at what Klinsmann is probably planning for his 2018 line-up. I’d like to look at younger options at a few key positions and offer a faster alternative lineup that with a few appearances in friendlies and qualifiers could really change the dynamic of the team.
Jozy
Pulsic Hyndman Kitchen Arriola Gooch
Johnson Brooks Birnbaum Yedlin
Horvath
This line up excites me, especially those in the field of play. I’m not saying these guys are ready, or even that they will be ready in 2018. I’m offering a potential line up that could really change the way the US plays. This would put (in theory) 3 players from the English Premier League, 3 from Bundesliga League, and 4 others from other parts of Europe and MLS. This line up gives us an extremely youthful side that could deliver the fast paced attacking game that Jurgen has promised. We saw a small glimpse of what could be in the second half of the T&T game. The quality of the competition aside, it was a very exciting half of soccer to watch as a US fan.
The key changes that could be made:
Probably Never Gonna Happen
Horvath for Guzan
This is a huge stretch as Horvath has been around, but not earned a minute on the field yet. The opportunity here is the fact that even after the success of Copa, Howard and Guzan are sharing the spot. Guzan is in a fight to keep his starting job in England which likely opens the door for a 39-year-old Howard, but maybe this too allows Horvath a shot. I see Howard the ageless wonder probably being the guy in this one, if Guzan can’t keep his starting job.
Birnbaum for Cameron
I’m a huge Cameron guy and as long as he’s starting at Stoke the partnership of Brooks/Cameron is my first choice. However, both Birnbaum and Gonzales have gotten minutes. Birnbaum’s recent stint of goal scoring for his club may peak Klinsmann’s interest. Birnbaum has had a few European teams interested in his services and DC United may eventually sell which could open up a door for him. I don’t see Cameron losing this spot unless he gets benched at Stoke, but Birnbaum is certainly making a case.
Intriguing possibilities that if nothing less pushes the starters to their best play
Kitchen for Bradley
This change probably won’t and shouldn’t happen, but Kitchen has done very well to get a transfer from DC United in the MLS to Hearts in Scotland. He missed Heart’s first game this season against Celtic and it hurt, but since his return to the lineup they have not lost in league play. Jurgen was behind this move to Scotland and he’s invited Kitchen to past camps. Kitchen was left out of qualifying only because of a recent injury. Stanko and Danny Williams could play here too, but I think this spot is Kitchen’s to steal from Bradley. As I said Jurgen will likely lean on his Captain that led them through the successful Copa, but a yellow card, injury or continued poor passing could see a look at Kitchen in the next two years.
Hyndman for Klijstan
I don’t think there’s even a whiff of a case here yet, but we do know that Jurgen is seeking a new creator in the middle. He has to eventual replace Jermaine Jones. It does not appear Nagbe has captured that spot and Klijstan has only just emerged as a prospective replacement. He was a last minute call up due to a John Brooks injury. Klijstan looked fantastic in the two qualifiers and if his play continues he may have secured a role here. He plays well with Pulisic and bring a creative element we haven’t see much of. However, Hyndman has done well on the U-20 team, played a few minutes for the senior team and has cracked into the bench of Premier League team Bournemouth. While he’s getting some great experience he’ll need to get regular minutes on the pitch in the next six months to really have a shot at cracking the US lineup.
Likeliest potential holes to fill
Gooch for Bedoya
Jurgen has made no secret that he’s kept an eye on Gooch breaking into a starting lineup in the Premier League. That along with Bedoya’s move to MLS (along with a change in position) and a recent unfortunate exchange with American soccer legend Eric Wynalda may not have him in the brightest light. Gooch is fast and looks like he could add some excitement to a position that Bedoya has long been lauded for his hard work and defensive support, but not his offensive prowess. I think this may be the most likely move to happen if Gooch continues to start for Sunderland.
Arriola for Dempsey
Dempsey is a mainstay and a beast, probably my favorite player that has ever worn a USMNT jersey. However, even this tough Texan will be 35 in 2018 and as of today we do not know if he’ll return from his heart issue. Assuming he doesn’t return, the Jozy/Wood experiment didn’t look great when we saw it last. That may leave the opportunity open for Jurgen to experiment with more of a 4-5-1 and a faster lineup to include Arriola who has scored a goal in each of his last two appearances. He’s small, but fast and hard working as well. He brings a little more speed and creativity on the offensive end, he may need to work on his defensive skills to threaten cracking into the midfield. This is another one based on Jurgen playing Arriola in the last two qualifiers that may not be too far off from being tested.
I’m not saying all of these are good moves, certainly would be hard to see Cameron and Bradley sitting in a meaningful game and I don’t see Jurgen having a sudden change of heart and playing any new goalie. I am looking however to the future and the possibility of fielding a team that could provide the style of play we’ve hoped Klinsmann would bring. You may think the team is set in stone today, but remember this is the guy that brought Chris Wondolowski and Julian Green to the 2014 World Cup over Landon Donovan.
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
The logics of the United States make it almost impossible for the USMNT or USWNT to have a primary venue to play all of their home matches but a trend of playing in a handful of stadiums has been developing over the last couple of cycles. US Soccer says there are specific factors behind where matches are played, some make sense, while others come across as lazy or lacking creativity.
If and when Major League Soccer aligns with the FIFA calendar and observes international breaks, more MLS stadiums could become available for matches. While not all MLS venues currently feature natural grass, US Soccer has indicated they would be willing to invest in installing grass, though at a cost of around $500K and with potential concerns about surface reliability.
Global Approach to Scheduling
Many of the top-tier international teams play their World Cup qualifiers and other critical matches in a primary venue or two. Here’s a sample of some of those countries and generally where they play based on my research.
Here are some of the more notable nations that play nearly all of their home matches at a single venue, a setup made practical by their smaller size and simpler logistics, which also makes it easier for fans.
Germany and Spain are known for rotating their non-critical home matches across multiple venues.
Argentina-Estadio Monumental (River Plate)
Belgium– King Baudouin Stadium (Brussels)
Colombia-Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez
England-Wembley Stadium
France– Stade de France (Saint-Denis, near Paris)
Italy-Stadio Olimpico
Northern Ireland-Windsor Park (Belfast)
Norway-Ullevaal Stadion (Oslo)
Portugal– Estádio da Luz (Lisbon)
Republic of Ireland-Aviva Stadium (Dublin)
Scotland-Hampden Park (Glasgow)
Uruguay-Estadio Centenario
Wales-Cardiff City Stadium
What’s in a location?
Here’s a look at the past few cycles, highlighting the USMNT’s home matches and the venues they’ve used. While US Soccer has clarified that they don’t control Gold Cup or Nations League venue selection, a point still under debate, they do manage the locations for Friendlies and World Cup qualifiers and continue to review and adjust those choices.
2026 Cycle (Matches Scheduled Through the end of 2025) – 46 Home Matches – 30 unique cities
So far, half of the USMNT’s home matches in the 2026 cycle have been held across eight venues. Only two more windows, March and May/June, remain for Friendlies before the 2026 World Cup.
4-AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
4-Energizer Park, previously CityPark, St. Louis, Missouri
4-Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas
3-Inter&Co Stadium (previously Orlando City Stadium and Exploria Stadium, Orlando, Florida
2-Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, Nevada
2-Geodis Park, Nashville, Tennessee
2-Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Connecticut
2-TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
2022 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 24 unique cities
I can almost give US Soccer a pass on city and venue selection during the 2022 cycle, given the global circumstances at the time. That said, it’s interesting that they scheduled three consecutive home World Cup qualifiers in Ohio, with final round two matches in Columbus. Columbus has been a recurring choice, hosting multiple qualifiers in 2014, 2018, and 2022, handling one match each during both the semifinal and final rounds of qualifying in 2014 and 2018.
Lower.com, Columbus, Ohio
2018 Cycle – 47 Home Matches – 33 unique cities
During the 2018 cycle, the USMNT played in a wider variety of cities and venues. Aside from four matches in Carson, California for the January camp, they only repeated a location eleven times.
Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CA
2014 Cycle – 43 Home Matches – 29 unique cities
During the 2014 cycle, the USMNT repeated cities twelve times, but only two cities hosted more than two matches: Carson, California, where two of three games were for Camp Cupcake, and Kansas City, Kansas, which hosted three matches.
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas
2010 Cycle – 35 Home Matches – 18 unique cities
One of the leanest home schedules in recent cycles saw the USMNT play in just 18 different cities, with 11 of them hosting only a single match. Over half of their home games were concentrated in four cities: Carson, California (7 matches); Chicago, Illinois (5 matches); and Foxborough, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. (3 matches each).
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
2006 Cycle – 44 Home Matches – 24 unique cities
The USMNT played eight matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts—double the number held in the next two cities, Columbus, Ohio, and Miami, Florida, which each hosted four matches. Notably, the team has excelled in Foxborough, losing only once in 22 games played there.
Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, MA
2002 Cycle – 38 Home Matches – 16 unique cities
During the 2002 cycle, California was clearly a preferred destination for the USMNT, hosting matches in five different cities across twelve games. Foxborough, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. each hosted five matches as well.
Washington D.C. was the city of choice for the USMNT during the 1998 cycle playing six matches. The USMNT would also play more than two matches in Los Angeles, California (5 matches), Foxborough, Massachusetts (4 matches) and Pasadena, California (3 matches) while playing only one match in twelve other cities.
Southeast (Washington DC) RFK Stadium
RFK Stadium, Washington, DC
Long Term Venue Strategy
While US Soccer may favor a single venue for most USMNT and USWNT matches, doing so would limit access for thousands of fans across the country. However, with the move to Georgia and the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center set to open in early 2026, ahead of the World Cup, it’s likely that future matches will focus on venues within three to four hours of Atlanta. We can expect the majority of games to continue taking place in roughly ten to twelve core cities.
Thomas Deschaine (@uskeeper on X and us_keeper on Instagram)
With the September FIFA window now in the rearview mirror, and only three more windows left before final rosters are set in late May or early June 2026, Mauricio Pochettino has drawn a clear line.
He’s stated that September’s camp was the “last camp to have the possibility for new faces.”
If we take him at his word, the nearly 70 players who’ve been called across six camps and the Gold Cup will form the pool from which he selects the 2026 World Cup squad.
Of the 60 players named to the 2025 Gold Cup provisional roster, only five, Maxi Dietz, Richie Ledezma, Tim Tillman, Caleb Wiley, and Griffin Yow, have yet to appear on a #USMNT roster under Pochettino.
Comparing the 2025 Nations League provisional roster to the Gold Cup list reveals over a dozen different players, raising the question: are these minor differences simply the edges of the player pool Pochettino intends to draw from?
Goalkeepers
Nine goalkeepers have been called into Pochettino’s camps, but it’s clear that Matt Freese is his first-choice right now, with Matt Turner likely the No. 2 as we sit just 10 months from the World Cup.
Chris Brady
Drake Callender
Roman Celentano
Matt Freese
Ethan Horvath
Jonathan Klinsmann
Diego Kochen
Patrick Schulte
Zack Steffen
Matt Turner
Fullbacks
Outside of Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, the USMNT’s fullback depth remains a concern. Pochettino appears high on MLS defenders Alex Freeman and Max Arfsten, while Caleb Wiley, though yet to feature in a USMNT camp but named to recent provisional rosters, could still be on his depth chart.
Max Arfsten
Sergino Dest
Alex Freeman
Marlon Fossey
DeJuan Jones
Kristoffer Lund
Shaquell Moore
Antonee Robinson
Joe Scally
John Tolkin
Centerbacks
Center back remains another position with uncertain depth. Chris Richards and the veteran Tim Ream look like locks for now, leaving three spots up for grabs. If Pochettino opts for a back three, that tactical shift could influence which players ultimately make the cut. Notably, Jackson Ragen and Maxi Dietz are the only center backs from the recent provisional rosters who haven’t been called into a USMNT camp.
Noahkai Banks
Tristan Blackmon
George Campbell
Cameron Carter-Vickers
Mark McKenzie
Tim Ream
Chris Richards
Miles Robinson
Auston Trusty
Walker Zimmerman
Central Midfielders
The central midfield position is the deepest for the #USMNT, with many players in the pool capable of also playing fullback, center back, or winger. Although Richie Ledezma has primarily played as a right back and right wing-back for his current club and for PSV last season, USMNT coaches view him primarily as a midfielder. This likely explains why he hasn’t yet been called into a USMNT camp.
Tyler Adams
Sebastian Berhalter
Gianluca Busio
Johnny Cardoso
Ben Cremaschi
Luca de la Torre
Emeka Eneli
Jack McGlynn
Weston McKennie
Aidan Morris
Yunus Musah
Tanner Tessmann
Sean Zawadzki
Attacking Midfielders
There are several players at this position who could add real quality and play pivotal roles for the #USMNT at next summer’s World Cup. Gio Reyna remains a major question mark, but his talent is undeniable. With his recent club change, there’s hope he can return to the high level of form we’ve seen from him in the past.
Brenden Aaronson
Paxten Aaronson
Brian Gutiérrez
Djordje Mihailovic
Matko Miljevic
Gio Reyna
Malik Tillman
Wingers
The winger position remains thin for the #USMNT, though several players there can also slot in as attacking midfielders, strikers, or even fullback. Notably, two young wingers, Cole Campbell and Griffin Yow, appeared on provisional rosters but have yet to be called into any Pochettino camp.
Cade Cowell
Diego Luna
Christian Pulisic
Quinn Sullivan
Indiana Vassilev
Tim Weah
Haji Wright
Alejandro Zendejas
Strikers
Another area of concern for the USMNT is striker depth. While the top options have all produced well for their clubs when healthy, injuries have kept the pool thin. If everyone is fit, the primary competition for the starting role likely comes down to three players: Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, and Josh Sargent. Haji Wright and Tim Weah can also step in as center-forward options if needed.
Patrick Agyemang
Folarin Balogun
Damion Downs
Jesus Ferreira
Ricardo Pepi
Josh Sargent
Brandon Vazquez
Brian White
Conclusion
It’s tough to read Pochettino’s mindset right now. Many expect fewer MLS players to be called for the October window, partly because the league continues through FIFA dates and the regular season ends mid-October.
Most World Cup rosters largely select themselves, with only a few surprising omissions, think of the 1994 squad, which left out several players many felt deserved a spot.
But with Pochettino still showing a shaky grasp of the USMNT player pool, this cycle could produce more notable snubs than ever, though there’s still time for him to get it right.
Caring for Villa Hills, Fort Thomas, Union, Florence, Crestview Hills and Northern Kentucky
Over the past few years, I’ve written here at Chasing A Cup about family, faith, leadership, and walking through life with intention. Some of you have been reading since the early days. Some of you prayed for my family. Some of you even rolled up your sleeves and gave blood — blood that was meant for my mom and others like her in their time of need.
I’ll never forget that.
Three years ago, my mom passed away. It was a season of heartbreak, but also one of clarity. As I stood beside my family — and as I supported others in our community grieving their own parents — I came to understand how deeply care matters. Not just in hospitals or emergencies, but in the everyday: the quiet, complicated, deeply human moments that make up the final chapters of someone’s life.
That realization stayed with me. And over time, it changed the direction of my work.
For most of my career, I worked in product management — building teams, delivering systems, and leading with structure and strategy. I still believe in all of that. But I also wanted to build something more personal. Something rooted not just in outcomes, but in presence and compassion.
Caring Excellence has been serving families across Kentucky for over 13 years. It’s a family-owned, fully licensed home care agency that specializes in non-medical, in-home support for seniors and adults — help with daily living, memory care, companionship, and more. And now, we’re proud to bring that same level of compassionate, character-driven care to Florence and the surrounding region.
Our new Northern Kentucky office serves families in places like Villa Hills, Union, Fort Thomas, Crestview Hills, and Florence — communities filled with multi-generational households, strong family ties, and seniors who deserve to age with dignity.
At Caring Excellence, we focus on people first. We don’t just fill schedules — we carefully match caregivers to clients based on personality, needs, and values. Sarah leads our caregiver hiring, drawing from her years of experience as both a caregiver and healthcare professional. She looks not just for skill, but for heart — people of integrity, empathy, and real compassion.
As for me, I now use my business background to support the team behind the scenes — building systems, developing processes, and making sure our caregivers have the tools and training they need to serve others well.
This new venture is deeply personal. It’s also missional. It’s about stepping into people’s lives when they need support most and offering something simple, but powerful: peace of mind.
We’re not moving to Florence, but we’re fully committed to this region. We’re investing in it — by hiring local caregivers, building relationships with local providers, and offering families home care in Northern Kentucky a trusted option for high-quality home care.
To those of you who’ve been on this journey with me — through writing, through prayer, through donating blood when we needed it most — thank you. I hope this new chapter reflects what we’ve always believed in here: that service matters, character counts, and small acts of care can ripple further than we think.
If you know someone in Northern Kentucky who needs support — in Union, Villa Hills, Crestview Hills, Fort Thomas, or Florence — we’d be honored to walk alongside them.
Thanks for reading, and for being part of the story.