COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew midfielder Max Arfsten has been selected by U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino to the final 26-man roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ in North America.
“Making this roster is my ultimate dream come true,” said Arfsten. “I’m super thankful for everyone that has helped me get here. Moments like these make me think of all the sacrifices my parents have made to help me get to this point, and I’m very thankful and grateful I can repay them in some way. I’m grateful for Issa Tall and the Columbus Crew, who have done nothing but support me and have been rooting for me during this process with the national team. A huge thank you to everyone from Fresno who molded my mentality and those at UC Davis who believed in me from a young age. I think playing for your country is the pinnacle of a player’s career, and I’m excited and motivated to keep going.”
Appearing in its 12th World Cup and second time as a host nation, the USMNT opens Group D play against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, Calif. The second group stage match will take place on June 19 in Seattle against Australia, and the USA will finish back in Los Angeles on June 25 against Türkiye.
The Fresno, Calif., native has earned 18 caps (13 starts) for the USMNT, recording one goal and five assists since making his debut against Venezuela on Jan. 18, 2025. His five assists last year are the most registered by a USMNT player in a calendar year since 2019 (Jordan Morris, six). He provided the game-winning assist on Alex Zendejas’ goal in a 2-0 win over Japan on Sept. 9, 2025, helping the U.S. improve to 11-1-3 in Columbus. At the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, Arfsten tallied two assists vs. Trinidad and Tobago (June 15) and scored his first senior international goal vs. Costa Rica in the quarterfinals on June 29.
Arfsten has started all 15 of the Crew’s league matches this season, scoring four goals and adding four assists. In Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup action, he scored the game’s only goal in a 1-0 victory over NYCFC on May 20, helping the Black & Gold reach the semifinal round for the first time in 16 years. The 25-year-old owns a team-best nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) across all competitions in 2026. He’s recorded at least one goal contribution in eight of his past 12 appearances.
The 2023 MLS Cup and 2024 Leagues Cup champion has appeared in 87 regular season matches (70 starts), scored 14 goals and tallied 22 assists since signing with the Crew in February 2023. Arfsten owns three career postseason goals – one in each of the past three seasons. He also scored twice during the Leagues Cup 2025 competition.
Following today’s roster announcement, Arfsten and the USMNT head to the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center in Fayette County, Ga., and play two matches prior to the tournament, against Senegal on May 31 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., followed by Germany on June 6 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill.
Arfsten joins teammate Steven Moreira (Cape Verde) as the two Crew players to represent their nations on the world stage this summer. Additionally, Arfsten is the first Crew player to earn a spot on the USMNT’s World Cup roster since Brian McBride in 2002.
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