Five players with ties to Pennsylvania have made the U.S. roster for the FIFA World Cup.
Five players with Pennsylvania ties have been named to the United States roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
The World Cup is returning to the United States for the first time since 1994 with games being played in Philadelphia for the first time.
Two players with Pennsylvania ties are returning for their second World Cup appearance, while three have been named to their first World Cup roster.
Christian Pulisic (#10)
Christian Pulisic, a midfielder from Hershey, Pennsylvania, has become the face of American soccer and is a critical player for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Pulisic entered the U.S. Youth National Team system in 2012 at the age of 13. He captained the United States at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile and then went to play for Borussia Dortmund at age 16. He currently plays for AC Milan.
In March of 2016, Pulisic earned his first senior national team call-up after a World Cup qualifier against Guatemala. This is his second World Cup appearance.
Brendan Aaronson (#11)
Originally from Medford, New Jersey, Aaronson currently plays in the English Premier League. He began his professional career with the Philadelphia Union in 2019.
Aaronson’s younger brother, Paxton Aaronson, also played for the Philadelphia Union.
After his 2019 debut, Aaronson moved to the Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg before joining Leeds United in 2022. He is also playing in his second World Cup.
Mark McKenzie (#22)
Mark McKenzie is a central defender from Bear, Delaware. He currently plays for the French club Toulouse.
McKenzie is a former Philadelphia Union player. He made 48 appearances for the Union from 2018 to 2020.
Austin Trusty (#6)
Center back Austin Trusty is from Media, Pennsylvania. He formerly played for the Bethlehem Steel and Philadelphia Union.
Trusty plays for Celtic, a club in the Scottish Premiership.
Trusty and McKenzie were a center back pairing for the Philadelphia Union’s Bethlehem Steel farm team.
Matt Freese (#24)
Goalkeeper Matt Freese is from Wayne, Pennsylvania. He currently plays for New York City FC in MLS.
A graduate of The Episcopal Academy in Newtown Square, Freese was named 2017 All-Delco Boys Soccer Player of the Year. He then played at the collegiate level for Harvard University.
Freese also played for the Philadelphia Union.
