7 USA lineup changes needed for the Türkiye match

The 2026 World Cup has gone far better than expected for the USMNT. Mauricio Pochettino’s side has won its first two games, clinching first place in Group D before the third and final group match against Türkiye on Thursday. Ahead of the World Cup, Türkiye looked like the USMNT’s toughest group stage opponent. Instead, the Americans have won the group while Türkiye is already eliminated.

With little at stake in this match, Pochettino has the benefit of being able to make lineup changes. Players at risk of a suspension because of yellow card accumulation can sit, as can players who might need a little rest. It also means there is no need to rush back Christian Pulisic from injury. While swapping out all 11 starters from the Australia match is possible, here are five necessary lineup changes for Thursday’s game.

Haji Wright for Folarin Balogun

Balogun has been brilliant in the World Cup thus far. He scored twice against Paraguay, and he’s been key in forcing the two own goals the USMNT’s opponents have conceded. But his yellow card in a heated moment against Australia will force him out against Türkiye because the U.S. can’t risk losing him for a knockout stage game. That will allow Wright, who has barely seen the field this summer after an outstanding season at Coventry City, a chance to play. While clearly third on the depth chart, Wright has a World Cup goal under his belt and should be a threat against the Turk defense.

Sebastian Berhalter for Tyler Adams

The USMNT needs Adams to play every meaningful minute of this tournament, but he’ll sit out a game that means nothing, especially with a yellow card to his record. Berhalter is the closest thing to a replacement for Adams that the USMNT has on the roster. Since he’s been the first player off the bench in both games, he’ll undoubtedly start in place of Adams. This game will be a big test for him, as Berhalter still has to prove that he can hold his own for 90 minutes against a quality opponent.

Miles Robinson Chris Richards

Richards is yet another player who picked up a yellow card in the first two games, making it an easy choice to sit him against Türkiye. Don’t forget that Richards was nursing an injury heading into the tournament, so giving him extra rest won’t be a bad thing. It could be either Robinson or Mark McKenzie filling the vacancy. But Pochettino seemed to prefer Robinson in that spot during the pre-tournament matches, so we’ll assume that he gets the nod with Richards getting a well-earned break.

Max Arfsten for Antonee Robinson

A game that can’t hurt the U.S. is the only time in which Arfsten should see the field during this tournament. Robinson is the fourth player with a yellow card in the first two games, so he figures to sit rather than risk getting a second booking that would keep him out of the Round of 32. Defensively, Arfsten has some questions, but in a three-back formation, those concerns are mitigated to some extent, which should free him up to attack from wide positions. If Arfsten can find success and not look like a liability defensively, he could earn Pochettino’s trust to contribute later in the tournament.

Tim Weah for Serginio Dest

Weah didn’t play at all against Australia, which was a little surprising for such a talented player who figures to be key to the USMNT’s success. The game against Türkiye feels like a good opportunity to get him some minutes and build up his confidence. Other than getting him some rest, there’s no real reason to sit Dest in this game. But he’s run a lot during the first two games and will be key going forward, so getting a break before the knockout stage is a good idea. Weah needs to get some minutes, so this is a no-brainer.

Gio Reyna Weston McKennie

Similar to Weah, Reyna is a player who will be important coming off the bench during the knockout stage. This game offers Pochettino a golden opportunity to get him some minutes to help improve his form and fitness. With a good performance, Reyna could potentially force his way into the starting lineup. But even if he doesn’t, just getting on the field will be beneficial for him and the team. He’ll enter the lineup for McKennie, who will be relied on heavily during the knockout stage, so getting him some rest now is a good idea. The same is true for Malik Tillman, so it’s possible McKennie will sub on for Tillman at some point, so both see the field without having to log a full 90 minutes.

Brenden Aaronson for Ricardo Pepi

Pepi has been a clear contributor in both matches. He came off the bench against Paraguay and then earned the start against Australia. But Türkiye won’t sit as deep as Australia did, so there’s no need for Pochettino to play two strikers. It’s important to get Wright minutes, which means Pepi comes out for Aaronson, who has not seen the field in the first two games. Aaronson’s tenacity and work rate should allow him to contribute to the USMNT at some point. But he needs to get minutes before the stakes are too high, making the Türkiye game the perfect occasion to get him on the field.

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