According to Football Manager 2026, These Are the USMNT's Highest-Potential Players

The United States Men’s National Team kicked off its World Cup campaign on Friday with style, putting a 4-1 beatdown on Paraguay, a side that qualified joint third in CONMEBOL, with 28 points alongside powers Brazil, Uruguay, and Colombia. The resounding opening-game result has American fans feeling optimistic about what might be the most raw talent the US has ever fielded at the same time.

With so many players now playing at elite clubs and in top leagues, and a developing pipeline that seems to grow stronger and stronger, things seem to be looking up for the Americans. Just how close this side is to reaching its best remains to be seen; with Football Manager 26 , we can take a peek under the hood to see what the scouting experts at Sports Interactive think about the US and its potential future stars.

Some of the highest potential players in the pool are already established in the national set-up, while others are waiting to make their true mark, but all give good reason to be excited in FM ’s estimation. To learn more, we examined the raw Potential Ability ratings of US players in the most recent database update.

The Top 12 USMNT Potential Ability Players In Football Manager 26

Screenshot: Operation Sports

For this search, we aren’t looking for players who have hit their peaks, even if those peaks are high enough to qualify as one of the highest Potential Ability ratings. Instead, we’re looking for players with room to grow, with the majority of the players on the list not a part of this summer’s squad:

• Malik Tillman (146/158): Tillman plies his trade in Germany for Bayer Leverkusen, where he’s developed the technical flair that makes him one of the more fun players on the current roster, and the third-highest hardcoded PA behind Cardoso and US GOAT Christian Pulisic.
• Paxten Aaronson (132/150): Brenden Aaronson has established himself in England and is a key player in the current USMNT setup, but it’s his younger brother who FM tips to reach the highest level.
• Noahkai Banks (122/140-170): One of two young prospects with the US-best PA cap of 170, Banks is a central defender for Bundesliga side Augsburg.
• Johnny Cardoso (151/161): An injury to Cardoso, who plays for Champions League semifinalists Atletico Madrid, has robbed the US of one of its best players this summer, but the good news is that FM experts think he’s still got room to grow as a player in the years ahead.
• Christopher Cupps (95/140-170): The other potential-170 teenage wonderkid in the player pool, Cupps would become the greatest addition to the US’s strong tradition of central defenders if he reached those heights.
• Luca Koleosho (125/148): A Burnley player out on loan to Paris FC last season, Luca Koleosho can play on either wing, and the upper limits of his PA range would see him slotting comfortably into selection discussions.
• Jack Kortkamp (92/120-150): Goalkeeper has traditionally been a US power position, making its recent shift to weakness a unique problem to solve. The brightest prospect in line to do so, according to FM , is Sporting KC’s Kortkamp.
• Yunus Musah (140/150): Contracted to AC Milan, but out on loan at Atalanta this year, Musah looked like he’d be nailed on for 2026 after his breakout at 2022 in Qatar, but is now looking for a new situation to revitalize his career and get him back on track to his potential.
• Xander Newstead (83/120-150): A teenager playing his trade in a top academy with US eligibility will always turn heads, and this 17-year-old central midfield Ajax prospect could be one to keep an eye on.
• Ricardo Pepi (139/155): Not quite as highly rated as some of his peers on this World Cup roster, FM still has goal scorer Ricardo Pepi as one of the highest rated future stars for this squad.
• Gio Reyna (126/156): Once considered among the hottest prospects in the sport, the floor and ceiling of Reyna have fallen during recent struggles. Of the current USMNT roster, he has the lowest CA, but also the most room to grow, with a PA above current midfield powerhouse Weston McKennie.
• Elijah Scott (95/110-140): The USA has a long tradition of German nationals with US eligibility, and Elijah Scott may end up being the next one. While his 110-140 PA is unlikely to see him making waves for Die Mannschaft, that could open the door for a US pitch.

What This Means for the Current And Future Of The USMNT

Screenshot: Operation Sports

The big takeaway is that if there was ever a time for a deep run, this is it. For starters, as hosts, the US carries the advantage of crowd favor, which has powered some hosts to incredible results in the past. Additionally, while the overall depth of the USMNT talent pool is growing, and that is certainly helpful as it always benefits a program to have as many lottery tickets to scratch off as possible, for the most part, the best players currently in the system are on this 2026 roster.

There are a few extra bright sparks who have PA ranges that could see them become the highest potential players in the pool, but as it stands, that’s the potential for potential, and the majority of the players with locked-in PA would find themselves slotting in as squad options in this current team.

One caveat, to end on a positive note, is that the brightest prospect in the pool, future Manchester City player Cavan Sullivan, is not in the database yet. Should he continue to be as highly rated as he is, when he arrives, he’ll do so with an FM ceiling that a US player has never seen before.