Tim Ream eyes World Cup roster as U.S. seeks home boost

Tim Ream’s place on the U.S. Men’s National Team is tied to something bigger than one veteran’s career. The 38-year-old Charlotte FC defender is trying to make his second World Cup roster while the United States prepares to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Canada and Mexico, a rare home-stage chance to push the sport deeper into the American mainstream.

U.S. Soccer plans to unveil Mauricio Pochettino’s final 26-man roster on May 26 in New York City at a live fan celebration broadcast on FOX. For Ream, the timing underscores how much is at stake. A strong tournament would mean more than a short run through knockout rounds. It could help give the U.S. men the kind of on-field success that turns casual attention into lasting support.

Ream already knows the weight that comes with the tournament. He started all four U.S. matches at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where the Americans reached the Round of 16 before losing to the Netherlands. Four years earlier, the U.S. men missed the 2018 World Cup in Russia altogether, leaving a painful gap in the program’s recent history and raising the pressure on the current cycle.

Ream is also the only player in the current talent pool with any memory of the last men’s World Cup held in the United States, in 1994, when he was 6 years old. That detail gives him a rare bridge between generations, from the country’s last home tournament to the one that could define the next era.

Ream said he believes the U.S. can win one knockout-stage game and can win multiple knockout-stage games. He also said he is prepared to fit whatever role the team needs, whether that means starting every match, coming on late to help close out results or providing leadership behind the scenes. That versatility may matter as Pochettino finalizes a roster built for the demands of a home World Cup and for the larger task of giving American soccer a breakthrough moment that lasts beyond 2026.