The United States have recalled Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie for their CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal matches against Haiti, while coach Mauricio Pochettino has included two potential debutants as he looks to strengthen both the present squad and its future.
The 25-member squad announced Wednesday features 19 players from the team's September and October friendly matches. Thirteen players who represented the United States at this year's World Cup are also included, among them 10 starters from their final match against Belgium. Six members of the squad are under 20.
"We need to have more options and give more players the opportunity to challenge those who are already familiar with the team," Pochettino said during an online news conference from London.
Pulisic returns after missing friendly victories over Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada while recovering from a microfracture in his right tibia and fibula. He sustained the injury during the United States' 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the World Cup round of 16.
Balogun, meanwhile, missed the recent friendlies after being left out of Monaco's squad for its first four Ligue 1 matches of the season. His potential move to Everton had fallen through. The striker has since featured in five matches, coming on as a second-half substitute each time.
Balogun's red-card suspension at the World Cup had also attracted controversy after US President Donald Trump contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino, following which the suspension was overturned.
"It's a great opportunity to keep helping him develop after a difficult summer and the World Cup," Pochettino said.
The squad's younger members are led by striker Cavan Sullivan, who made his international debut in September, two days before turning 17. He became the youngest American to score a goal for the national team a week later against Mexico.
Other teenagers include 17-year-old midfielders Mathis Albert and Adri Mehmeti, 18-year-old forward Julian Hall, 19-year-old forward Justin Ellis and 19-year-old defender Neil Pierre.
Right back Reed Baker-Whiting of Nashville and midfielder Santiago Castañeda of Paderborn, both 21, have also earned their first senior national team call-ups.
Defender Bryan Reynolds, 25, has returned to the squad for the first time since the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He made his international debut in 2021 at the age of 19.
Pochettino said the selected players deserved an opportunity to join the team, demonstrate their abilities and understand how they could fit into the national setup.
Among those omitted are goalkeeper Matt Turner, defenders Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie and Joe Scally, midfielder Aidan Morris and winger Tim Weah.
The 16th-ranked United States will train in Georgia before facing 84th-ranked Haiti in Miami on Nov 14 and Cincinnati on Nov 17. The two-legged tie will be decided by aggregate goals, with the winner advancing to the Nations League semifinals, scheduled for March 22-30 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Several players who featured in the September squad have also been dropped, including goalkeeper Chris Brady, defenders Miles Robinson and Frankie Westfield, midfielders Zavier Gozo and Yunus Musah, and forwards Cole Campbell and Damion Downs.
Some players not selected for the senior team are expected to join the under-23 squad as it prepares for the 2028 Olympics. Its training camp roster is scheduled to be announced Thursday.
Defender Miles Robinson, midfielder Johnny Cardoso and forwards Haji Wright and Alejandro Zendejas were unavailable because of injuries. Striker Ricardo Pepi was also left out after a leg muscle injury kept him sidelined from Sept 20 until last Saturday.
Defender George Campbell was named in the squad but sustained an injury during West Bromwich Albion's match on Tuesday and could be replaced.
The squad:
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (New York City), Diego Kochen (Lyngby), Brian Schwake (Nashville).
Defenders: Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia), Bryan Reynolds (Rennes), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Auston Trusty (Celtic).
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Santiago Castañeda (Paderborn), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls), Gio Reyna (Strasbourg), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen).
Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Justin Ellis (Orlando), Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia).