RatingsMarch 9, 20264 min read

USMNT Squad Rating Predictions for FIFA 26

Our community breaks down who deserves upgrades, who might slip, and where the USMNT stands in the global picture.

By FIFA26 Fan Community

The State of the USMNT Heading Into FIFA 26

The United States men's national team finds itself at an interesting crossroads. With the 2026 World Cup on home soil just months away, the squad has never been more talented or more scrutinized. The golden generation of American players scattered across Europe's top leagues has raised expectations to levels the US Soccer fanbase has never experienced before. In terms of the virtual representation, the community expects this to be the highest-rated US squad we have ever seen. The overall squad average should hover around 77-78, which is a significant jump from previous editions and reflects the genuine quality improvement in the player pool.

Who Deserves an Upgrade

Christian Pulisic moving from 82 to 84 feels almost certain at this point. His performances at Milan have been too consistent to ignore, and he has proven he can deliver in the biggest matches in Serie A and the Champions League. Giovanni Reyna jumping from 78 to 80 is warranted if you look at his peak performances, though the injury concerns might make the rating team hesitant. Weston McKennie going from 79 to 80 is a small bump that reflects his steady contributions at Juventus. The biggest movers, in our community's opinion, should be Timothy Weah (76 to 78), Yunus Musah (76 to 78), and Folarin Balogun (77 to 79). All three have taken significant steps forward at their respective clubs and their virtual cards should reflect that progress. Antonee Robinson also deserves his bump to 79 after being one of the most consistent fullbacks in the Premier League.

Potential Downgrades and Stagnation

Not every US player is trending upward, and the community needs to be honest about that. Cristian Roldan at Seattle Sounders has had a quieter stretch and could see a small dip from 74 to 73. Sebastian Lletget at FC Dallas is in a similar boat, possibly dropping from 73 to 72. These are not dramatic drops, but they reflect the reality that MLS-based players face an uphill battle when it comes to maintaining ratings compared to their European counterparts. Matt Turner at Nottingham Forest is predicted to hold steady at 76, which feels fair given his solid but unspectacular Premier League campaign. Kellyn Acosta is another player holding at 74, and while LAFC fans might argue he deserves more, the numbers simply have not been there for a bump.

How Does the US Compare Globally

Even with all these upgrades, the USMNT is still behind traditional powerhouses like France, Brazil, England, and Germany in terms of top-end star power. The US lacks a true 88-plus rated player, which is a significant gap when you are trying to build a competitive national team squad. However, the depth is impressive. Having six or seven players rated 78 and above gives the US one of the deeper midfield and attacking selections you can find among non-elite nations. The defense and goalkeeping remain areas where the ratings lag behind, but that also reflects a genuine area of development for the real-life squad. Overall, the USMNT should be one of the most improved national teams in the game, and the World Cup host nation buzz will likely bring special promotional cards that push some of these players even higher.

Community Wishlist and Final Thoughts

The FIFA26 fan community has been vocal about a few things. First, there is a strong desire to see more dynamic ratings that update throughout the season based on real performance. Second, many fans want to see World Cup-specific boosts for the home nation squad, similar to what we have seen in past tournament editions. Third, the community hopes that the chemistry system rewards building full national team squads, making it viable to run an all-US lineup in competitive modes. Whether all of these wishes come true remains to be seen, but the foundation is there for the USMNT to be more relevant and more fun to use than ever before. With a World Cup on home soil, there has never been a better time to be a US football fan.