USA Copa America 2024 roster: Final USMNT 26-man squad for 2024 CONMEBOL championship

The United States men will face a critical summer in 2024 as they host the Copa America, with the CONMEBOL championship to be played on U.S. soil as a tune-up event for the 2026 World Cup in two years.

With Berhalter and U.S. Soccer prioritizing this tournament, the U.S. Men's National Team coaching staff has called up a full-strength squad, filled with players playing in Europe's top-five leagues as well as with plenty of World Cup experience. Eighteen of the 26 players on the roster were on the USMNT's 2022 World Cup roster and all together, the squad has an average of 27 caps. 

Aside from being a World Cup warmup, though, this tournament is a chance for the U.S. to gain valuable minutes against world-class opposition and earn international acclaim in one of the top international competitions around. Gregg Berhalter will know the Copa America will be about results, and there are no moral victories or larger takeaways that rank above wins and losses. They received a "wake-up call" in a 5-1 friendly defeat to Colombia before the tournament, but bounced back to draw Brazil 1-1 in the final tuneup match.

Reaching past the quarterfinals of this competition will be of paramount importance to the United States, and thus bringing the best players available was a top priority for Berhalter and his staff.

The Sporting News runs down the final 26-man roster announced for the 2024 Copa America.

MORE: USMNT earns strong 1-1 draw against Brazil in final Copa America tune-up friendly

USMNT roster for Copa America 2024

The final USMNT roster for the Copa America was announced on June 14. Head coach Gregg Berhalter retained the entirety of the 27-man roster from the pre-tournament friendlies, with the exception of the one lone cut, midfielder Timothy Tillman.

Norwich City forward Josh Sargent remains an injury concern, as he did not participate in either warmup friendly against Colombia or Brazil due to a foot issue, but he remains on the roster.

Berhalter, and many other coaches, are taking advantage of the fact that rosters have been expanded to 26 for this tournament from the previous standard of 23. With just 23 players, we would have seen four players be cut, and it certainly could have included Sargent. 

Below is the 26-man roster for the United States at the 2024 Copa America.

MORE: Winger or striker? Haji Wright position decision will affect USMNT's right-back solution

Ages, caps correct as of Copa America start on June 20, 2024.

* On loan at listed club

Who made USA squad for Copa America 2024?

Here's how the USA lined up for their first match at 2024 Copa America

4-3-3, right to left: Turner (GK) — Scally, Richards, Ream, A. Robinson — McKennie, Adams, Reyna — Weah, Balogun, Pulisic.

MORE: Sergino Dest injured, to miss Copa America in devastating blow to USMNT

Goalkeepers

• In: Matt Turner, Ethan Horvath, Sean Johnson
• Out: Gaga Slonina, Drake Callender, Josh Cohen, Zack Steffen, Brad Guzan

Despite his struggles at Nottingham Forest this season, Matt Turner is still the unquestioned starting goalkeeper for the United States.

That's at least in part down to the fact that nobody has cobbled together a challenge to his spot, which is worrying for the U.S. goalkeeping depth chart. Ethan Horvath was stuck behind Turner at Forest and has only just recently moved on loan to Cardiff City, while young Gaga Slonina struggles at Belgian side Eupen during his first season in Europe.

Slonina was left off likely to be involved in the Olympic squad later this summer, and in his place as the third goalkeeper is veteran Sean Johnson who has been ok at Toronto FC, but at 35 years old is largely in the squad for his experience.

Drake Callender was at one time the most in-form of the group, but, like Turner, has displayed occasional issues in possession which seem to have cost him. Josh Cohen has finally found a new home at Atlanta United but has been unable to win the starting job from Brad Guzan, while Zack Steffen needs to put forth a number of solid performances to win back a spot in the USMNT fold.

Center-Backs

• In: Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie
• Out: Walker Zimmerman, Jalen Neal, Matt Miazga, Jackson Ragen, Aaron Long, Nkosi Tafari, Josh Wynder, Auston Trusty.

At 36 years old, nobody seems to have dethroned Tim Ream as the steadiest presence in the heart of the USMNT back line. Chris Richards and Cameron Carter-Vickers are both well and truly in line for starting consideration, but the further spots were up for grabs.

Miles Robinson has worked his way back into the mix after his Achilles injury last spring and is back in the mix. Mark McKenzie remains on the fringes of the depth chart and is selected to the roster, a strong vote of confidence over the other options.

Walker Zimmerman is aging and dealing with injuries, but has been tabbed for a spot on the Olympic roster as an overage player, according to recent reports. Meanwhile, the likes of Auston Trusty, Josh Wynder, and Nkosi Tafari will likely be options for the Olympic squad as U-23 players. Jackson Ragen will have an opportunity to establish himself as a World Cup option, but an injury in January camp ruined his chance to be in the mix this summer.

MORE: A closer look at the USMNT roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics, a largely U-23 competition

Full-Backs

• In: Antonee Robinson, Joe Scally, Shaq Moore, Kristoffer Lund
• Out: Reggie Cannon, John Tolkin, Bryan Reynolds

The United States suffered their biggest injury set-back of the tournament when locked-in starting right-back Sergino Dest went down with a serious knee injury in mid-April training with PSV. While the specific injury has not been named publicly, a report from The Athletic states that Dest could be absent for up to nine months, indicating he has likely suffered either an ACL or patella tendon tear. That means he would surely miss the Copa America, and it elevates Joe Scally to a likely starter spot opposite Antonee Robinson.

Scally's credentials were spotty, having failed to impress in his previous appearances with the United States national team, and his club season at Borussia Monchengladbach was questionable too. But he submitted a pair of very strong performances in the tune-up friendlies against Colombia and Brazil, locking down two of the world's most talented wingers in Luis Diaz and Vinicius Jr, and Gregg Berhalter all but confirmed after the Brazil match that the Copa America job is his to lose, albeit likely with a short leash.

Shaq Moore has been injured to begin the MLS season with Nashville, but he made the squad and will likely serve as backup, while many of the other full-back options are all left-sided. Reggie Cannon is maybe the biggest snub of the defensive unit, but he lost his starting place at loan club QPR in mid-February and thus can have few complaints.

Midfielders

• In: Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna, Johnny Cardoso, Luca de la Torre, Malik Tillman.
• Out: Timothy Tillman, Lennard Maloney, Benjamin Cremaschi, Cristian Roldan, Gianluca Busio, Djordje Mihailovic, Kellyn Acosta, Jack McGlynn, Diego Luna.

When the U.S. midfield pool is fully fit, it makes for a difficult numbers game that in all likelihood will leave someone very deserving on the outside looking in.

Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah have proven beyond measure their value to this national team, and will be included if healthy. Tyler Adams missed nearly 18 months due to a hamstring injury, but as the most natural No. 6 in the squad, he has made the roster barring further complications arise between now and the start of the tournament. Gio Reyna is struggling for club minutes no matter where he goes, but his performances with the national team make it clear he'll be not only in the squad, but a key contributor.

Malik Tillman is having a wonderful season with PSV, and is a beneficiary of the expanded Copa America roster, as he could have been left out thanks to the in-form play of Johnny Cardoso and Luca de la Torre in Spain.

Malik's brother Timothy Tillman was the lone cut before the tournament starts from the 27-man roster that took part in the warmup friendlies against Colombia and Brazil.

Wingers

• In: Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, Brenden Aaronson, Haji Wright
• Out: Cade Cowell, Kevin Paredes, Alejandro Zendejas, Jordan Morris, Paul Arriola, Taylor Booth, Diego Luna, Esmir Bajraktarevic

Christian Pulisic and Tim Weah are locked-in starters when healthy, and both are far and away the most dangerous options for Gregg Berhalter on opposite flanks. Haji Wright has mostly played striker with the U.S. national team, but Berhalter stated in his pre-tournament press conference that the staff sees Wright as a winger at the tournament, as that is where he plays for his club Coventry City.

Behind them, however, is a hefty drop-off. In Weah's absence last November, Berhalter found it hard to make up for the injured Juventus man, with Kevin Paredes and Brenden Aaronson struggling to replicate Weah's attacking-third threat. Aaronson has turned around his club form late in the season, seeing him make the squad, while the likes of Paredes, Diego Luna, and Cade Cowell will be left to the Olympic squad.

Alejandro Zendejas was "very close" in March according to Gregg Berhatler. He has played exceptionally well this season with Mexican giants Club America, and thus has a solid gripe as the biggest snub of this roster announcement — we'll see if he ends up on the Olympic roster. The winger position is thin given the positional flexibility of many included as strikers.

Strikers

• In: Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent, Ricardo Pepi
• Out: Brandon Vazquez, Jesus Ferreira, Duncan Maguire

Folarin Balogun's spot in this squad is unquestioned at this point, even amidst a season of muted production at AS Monaco. He is being pushed hard, however, by Haji Wright who has quickly risen to prominence with another exceptional season, this time in the Championship with Coventry City, but he will be out wide for this competition.

Same too for Josh Sargent whose exceptional form all year with Norwich City would have seen him return to the national team in March but an injury ruined that chance. Wright could end up as the starter at the Copa America, and Sargent will likely see time off the bench.

Ricardo Pepi is a beneficiary of the expanded rosters, as while he's made the most of a tough situation at PSV, Wright's form seemed to have left him on the outside looking in. Unfortunately, there's just not enough room for Brandon Vazquez, who is on the outside of a harsh numbers game, and he could potentially be an option for the Olympic squad as an overage player. Jesus Ferreira is another left out.

Thanks to the flexibility of Wright, Sargent, and Pepi all whom can play out wide in a pinch, Berhalter sacrificed spots at the winger position where nobody outside of Zendejas elevated themselves to the level required.

USA Copa America 2024 schedule, matches

The United States flopped hard in their first pre-Copa America friendly, falling 5-1 to Colombia after a second half collapse, but they rebounded well to secure a quality 1-1 draw with Brazil heading into the tournament.

They opened the competition against Bolivia in Texas with a 2-0 win, and now have group games against Panama and Uruguay before hopefully reaching the knockout stage by finishing top two in the group.