FIFA Men's World Cup: Sounders' Cristian Roldan makes USMNT roster, report says

Sounders captain Cristian Roldan said it's hard waiting for notice whether he made the U.S. men's national team roster for the FIFA Men's World Cup. According to reporting, the wait is over and Roldan received good news - he made the 26-player team.

The official announcement is Tuesday at a fête in New York City that will air on FOX beginning at noon. But the Guardian reported it received the full roster and Roldan is listed.

This is the second World Cup nod for Roldan, 30, who was named to the 2022 USMNT roster but didn't log a minute in the tournament in Qatar. He's the only active Sounders player to be named to back-to-back World Cup rosters.

Roldan is currently with the Sounders and is expected to play in Sunday's match against Los Angeles FC at BMO Stadium. The native Southern Californian will then travel to New York to begin the World Cup journey.

Roldan's selection this year was in doubt. He dropped out of the U.S. team's rotation after playing well in the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament and didn't receive another call-up until last September.

Roldan said in multiple interviews, including with The Seattle Times, that being selected this go-round would be a "full circle moment."

The USMNT will play its World Cup opener against Paraguay in Roldan's native Los Angeles on June 12. And on June 19, the team will play Australia in his adopted home at Seattle Stadium, which is known to Sounders fans as Lumen Field.

This year's World Cup is historic for FIFA. For the first time, the quadrennial tournament will stretch across three countries in the U.S., Mexico and Canada and feature 48 teams.

Official rosters have already started to be released. The deadline is June 1 for every country to release its team.

The USMNT's base camp is in Atlanta. The team will travel to Charlotte for a friendly against Senegal on May 31 and will play Germany in Chicago on June 6.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.