USA to expand roster for playoffs

Tony Joseph 3 years ago 2 min read

NASHVILEY, Tennessee, USA (AP) — United States coach Greg Berhalter will have a sizable roster for three matches that he will have to play in a three-day stretch in September as the season’s final leg begins. world Cup.

General Manager Brian McBride said on Wednesday that the national team will have at least 26 players, three more than the usual maximum available in games. This would give the United States some flexibility, with a packed schedule of travel and sports.

“We may have players on the roster for Game 2 and they weren’t part of that in Game 1,” McBride said. “And then you add and you add to it and there is the COVID aspect as well. Hopefully it won’t have any impact or affect decisions.”

Berhalter will likely announce the roster on August 26. Players from MLS and European clubs will perform in Nashville on 29 August and travel to San Salvador on 1 September for their first tie-in match against El Salvador the next day.

The United States face Canada at Nissan Stadium, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, in Nashville on September 5, before heading to San Pedro Sula for a game against Honduras on September 8.

The Americans chose Nashville for the only home game of the qualifying round in September to facilitate travel from Europe to the host cities of the two touring matches. Midfielder Tyler Adams, who plays for Leipzig in Germany, has a match that has been moved to Sunday, August 29, so his trip will be delayed the next day.

After the third match, the American players will arrive in Miami on September 9 to return to their teams.

Christian Pulisic will have a short break as his first Premier League game for Chelsea, at home to Aston Villa, is replaced at 5:30 pm on 11 September. But midfielder Brendan Aarons still doesn’t know when Salzburg will meet at Swarovski Tirol that weekend.

This made Nashville, the candidate for sub-headquarters, the ideal location for a September meeting during the 2026 World Cup.

“It’s part of the design,” admitted McBride. “So what we’re doing is looking at all the variables.”