U.S. Names Pulisic, Balogun and McKennie to Nations League Squad Vs. Haiti

Mauricio Pochettino has named the U.S. men's roster for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series against Haiti, recalling Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun. It is the first competitive match for the Americans since their World Cup exit against Belgium in the round of 16. Haiti will host the first leg in Miami on November 14 because of gang violence in Port-au-Prince, and the return leg is set for Cincinnati on November 17. Pochettino said at a Wednesday news conference that the squad aims to add options and give newer players a chance. The goalkeepers are Matt Freese, Diego Kochen and Brian Schwake.

Left-leaning outlets, led by The Guardian US, lead with the recalls and Pochettino's quote that new players deserve a chance to challenge established players. The Guardian adds that the U.S. is heavily favored to win the Nations League outright, arriving in better form and health than Mexico and Canada, and it calls the World Cup exit calamitous. Right-leaning outlets, represented by the New York Post, lead instead with the likelihood that the roster includes the U.S.'s best eleven, nearly the entire World Cup starting lineup, and a youthful bench. The Post stresses that the U.S. has suffered Nations League shocks before, including a fourth-place finish in 2025, and wonders whether Pochettino will start Schwake or Kochen ahead of Freese. The Post also counts 25 players where the Guardian counts 26. The alternative outlet ESPN, whose excerpt lists only the recalls, largely matches the Guardian's focus.