Mauricio Pochettino Confirms 25-Man USMNT Squad for Nations League Quarterfinal Against Haiti

The U.S. Men's National Team will return to competitive action on November 14 to begin a two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal tie against Haiti in Florida and Ohio.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino has finalized his 25-man squad for the critical home-and-away series.

The upcoming fixtures mark the program's first competitive test since the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

It is also the second official international training camp under Pochettino's leadership following a run of four exhibition matches.

The manager and his technical staff assembled the roster after thoroughly assessing more than 100 potential candidate players across the globe over the previous month.

Pochettino made it clear to the media that selection remains a dynamic, ongoing process rather than a closed circle.

"The national team is open," Pochettino stated when addressing his roster choices.

"We are following 100, more than 100 players," the manager emphasized.

Pochettino reiterated that no single roster sheet should ever be considered final or permanent for any individual.

"It's very open," the USMNT boss explained.

Senior mainstays headline the group as Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Sergiño Dest return to national team duty.

All three established veterans had been omitted from the previous camp as Pochettino chose to evaluate younger talent during four straight friendly victories.

During that initial friendly window, the manager introduced 13 uncapped players to the international stage to widen his overall pool.

Now, Pochettino has blended experienced World Cup veterans with another injection of emerging talent.

The 25-man squad welcomes three newcomers, featuring two completely uncapped players and one player with prior international experience.

Among the uncapped call-ups is defender Reed Baker-Whiting, who earns his place following consistent club development with Nashville SC.

Joining him is uncapped midfielder Santiago Castañeda, who has impressed in Germany while competing for 2.

Bundesliga side SC Paderborn.

Alongside the debutants, several rising teenage sensations have retained their spots with the senior national squad.

Philadelphia Union standout Cavan Sullivan continues his meteoric ascent by earning a place in the competitive setup.

Talented young attackers Julian Hall and Justin Ellis have also been selected following explosive debuts during the last friendly window.

Hall scored three goals across his initial senior appearances, immediately rewarding the manager's trust in his offensive instincts.

Ellis similarly capitalized on his international opportunity during the previous camp by finding the back of the net twice.

Young prospects Mathis Albert and Neil Pierre also feature among the chosen 25 players traveling to the competitive camp.

However, the announcement arrived with notable controversy due to high-profile omissions from the attacking ranks.

PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi is the most prominent absence from the squad sheet for the Haiti series.

Juventus winger Tim Weah was also left off the roster, sparking fresh frustration among excluded regulars.

Pepi's exclusion prompted immediate debate, forcing Pochettino to explain the exact rationale behind omitting the Dutch-based goalscorer.

Pochettino noted that Pepi played limited minutes for PSV last week but remains short of optimal condition.

The coaching staff ultimately determined that staying in the Netherlands to build full physical sharpness was the best path forward for Pepi.

"That is why I think the balance, because Justin and Julian, they are fully fit, I go a little bit ahead, that is why we didn't bring, even if we played a few minutes last week, Pepi, Ricardo," Pochettino explained.

The Argentine tactician stressed that the long-term fitness and development of the forward outweighed calling him in for this window.

"But I think in our way to see and assess the players, we decided much better to keep him training (with PSV) and establish himself being more solid in his fitness and be more confident to attack the future," Pochettino said.

Rather than bringing Pepi, Pochettino selected AS Monaco forward Folarin Balogun to lead the forward line alongside Hall and Ellis.

Balogun has accumulated 31 caps and scored 12 goals for the senior national team throughout his international career.

Club minutes have been difficult to secure for Balogun this season following an unsettling summer transfer saga in Europe.

The Monaco striker had been on the verge of a deadline move to Premier League side Everton before the deal collapsed late.

Pochettino acknowledged that both Balogun and Pepi have struggled for peak physical shape in recent weeks.

"That is why we didn't want to bring both, because I think both are not 100%, but I think the combination in between Balogun, Ellis and Hall is perfect," Pochettino said.

The manager viewed this training camp as an essential opportunity to rebuild Balogun's morale and on-field form.

"It's a great opportunity to keep helping him (Balogun) to evolve after a tough summer, after the World Cup," Pochettino stated.

Pochettino expressed enthusiasm about having the 31-cap forward back in the international environment.

"Yes, happy to see again Balogun because I think after the World Cup, we have the possibility to see and it's a great opportunity for him to keep improving his confidence," the manager noted.

Roster construction for this camp was further complicated by an overlapping international camp for the United States Under-23 program.

With an Olympic preparation camp taking place concurrently, Pochettino had to balance resources between both squads.

Several young prospects were directed toward the Olympic team to maintain cohesion for youth tournament objectives.

Meanwhile, others were pulled directly into senior duty to be evaluated under competitive knockout conditions.

Pochettino made it clear that players who missed out on this 25-man roster should not feel permanently discarded.