It's time to get excited! FIFA World Cup 2026 is near.
In a milestone moment for North American soccer, Major League Soccer boasts a record 44 players named to World Cup rosters, accounting for the most of any league in the Western Hemisphere.
In all, 103 current and former MLS players are set to appear at this summer’s tournament. 42 of whom developed through the MLS player pathway in one or both MLS club academies and MLS NEXT Pro.
Read more about MLS NEXT Pro's strongest connections below.
Current club: Villarreal (Spanish La Liga)
Connection: Homegrown, developed with Orlando City B 2022-2024
One of the biggest United States men's national team revelations of the last couple of years, Freeman cut his teeth with Orlando City B on his way to stardom in MLS and beyond.
Of the USMNT contingent, Freeman spent the most time in MLS NEXT Pro with 70 career appearances.
Current club: Columbus Crew
Connection: Alumni, San Jose Earthquakes II
Playing for San Jose Earthquakes II in the MLS NEXT Pro inaugural season, Arfsten stood out as a dangerous forward. Eventually becoming an MLS Superdraft selection of the Columbus Crew, he's blossomed into a two-way wingback that's been instrumental in the Crew's trophy haul in modern times.
Current club: New York City FC
Connection: Developed with Philadelphia Union II
Before his recent surge as a top 'keeper in MLS for NYCFC, Freese was a product of the Philadelphia Union pipeline. Always a known commodity, he was a spot starter in MLS before putting on a dominant display with Union II in the inagural MLS NEXT Pro campaign that forced his way up to the first-team level indefinitely.
Current club: Chicago Fire FC
Connection: Homegrown, developed with Chicago Fire FC II
Brady has been a well-known part of the Chicago Fire FC pipeline or many years and took his chance when Fire II joined MLS NEXT Pro as a founding member. That year, Brady posted 12 clean sheets in 15 appearances which did the talking in his rise to become Chicago's MLS starter from 2023 onward.
Current club: Norwich City (English Championship)
Connection: Alumni, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
A true Vancouver Whitecaps pathway story, Ahmed starred at Whitecaps FC 2 in between academy and first-team levels for the club before his big move to English Championship side Norwich City FC.
Current club: Villarreal (Spanish La Liga)
Connection: Developed with Minnesota United FC 2 2022-2025
Selected by Minnesota United as a SuperDraft selection from St. John's, Oluwaseyi got his professional start with MNUFC2 before making his way to the Loons' first-team setup that paved his pathway to Vilarreal in Spain.
Current club: Philadelphia Union
Connection: Developed with Union II 2023-2024
The 22-year-old centerback was a staple in Philadelphia Union II’s 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Cup run, helping his side secure the Eastern Conference title.
Now a mainstay in the Union’s first-team setup, Makhanya's contributions were recognized as MLS Best XI-caliber in Philadelphia's 2025 Supporters’ Shield campaign.
Current club: Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Connection: Alumni, Whitecaps FC 2
The 18-year-old striker is still a ‘tweener between the Vancouver Whitecaps first-team and second-team setups with all of his momentum trending up over the last year.
Initially a WFC Academy standout, Elloumi had a breakout campaign in MLS NEXT Pro in 2025 that ended with first-team opportunities including appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs presented by Audi.
Current club: PSV Eindhoven (Dutch Eredivisie)
Connection: Homegrown, developed with New England Revolution II 2022-2023
Bajraktarević went viral for scoring the game-winner to eliminate four-time FIFA World Cup champions Italy from qualification to this year’s tournament.
Long before that, he was cutting his teeth at New England Revolution II and shined as one of the stars in MLS NEXT Pro’s inaugural season in 2022. He quickly ascended to helping the Revs at the first-team level which caught the attention of Dutch giants PSV, where he’s helped them earn back-to-back Eredivisie titles.
Current club: El Paso Locomotive (USL Championship)
Connection: Alumni, North Texas SC
Anchoring the backline in North Texas SC’s 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Cup championship, Sainté, 23, has been a club mainstay at each stop in his career.
After bouncing between the ranks at FC Dallas, Sainté landed at El Paso Locomotive in the USL Championship.
Current club: San Diego FC
Connection: Developed with Inter Miami CF II 2022-2024
A big part of Inter Miami CF II’s early success in MLS NEXT Pro, Dos Santos played a part of their first three seasons while also proving himself as a consistent first-team option.
His breakout season came in 2025 with a move to San Diego FC in MLS, where he kept 10 clean sheets en route to SDFC setting league records for points (63) and wins (19) in their expansion season.
United States midfielder Sebastian Berhalter started one match with Whitecaps FC 2 in 2023.
Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau rehabbed with Los Angeles FC 2 in his return from injury during LAFC's 2022 MLS Cup Final. Defender Moïse Bombito used a stint with Colorado Rapids 2 to ramp up to his first-team debut, and once upon a time, as a Toronto FC pathway player, striker Jacob Shaffelburg lined up for TFC II for one match in 2023.
Haiti's MLS veteran, 2018 Supporters' Shield and 2020 MLS Cup champion, Derrick Etienne Jr., also had brief rehab stints with Atlanta United 2 in 2023 and 2024.
Jordan centerback Mohammad Abu Al-Nadi had a brief stint with Sporting Kansas City II in 2023.
Panama midfielder Carlos Harvey competed with MNUFC2 for stints in the 2022 and 2024 seasons and once registered a 19-minute hat trick to earn Player of the Matchweek honors. Colombian icon James Rodríguez trained with MNUFC2 in preparation for his pre-World Cup stint with Minnesota United in MLS.
