Cristian Roldan, a key player for the Seattle Sounders, rejoins the U.S. Men’s National Team for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
SEATTLE — Seattle Sounders Cristian Roldan has been named to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Roldan, who previously represented the United States at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, will compete this summer at home. He is set to play two group-stage matches at SoFi Stadium near his hometown of Pico Rivera, California, and another group-stage match held at Seattle Sounders’ Lumen Field, where he has spent his entire MLS career.
The selection comes after more than a decade as a cornerstone of Seattle’s roster. Since joining the club in 2015, Roldan has helped lead the Sounders to a Concacaf Champions Cup title in 2022, MLS Cup championships in 2016 and 2019, and a Leagues Cup title in 2025. He was named to the MLS Best XI in 2025 and is one of only two players in club history to surpass 400 appearances.
Internationally, Roldan made his U.S. national team debut in 2017 and has earned 45 appearances while helping the Americans win Gold Cup championships in 2017 and 2021.
The call-up follows a challenging period after the 2022 World Cup, when Roldan spent time away from the national team while dealing with concussions and other health-related struggles.
The U.S. opens World Cup play on June 15.
An estimated 750,000 people are expected to visit Seattle during the tournament, which runs locally from June 11 through July 19. Matches at Lumen Field, temporarily renamed “Seattle Stadium” during the event, include a June 19 matchup between the United States and Australia along with two knockout-round games in July.
With the tournament expected to transform downtown Seattle for nearly a month, agencies across the region are now detailing how they plan to move fans around the city while managing security and congestion in some of Seattle’s busiest neighborhoods.
Match schedule
Seattle’s six World Cup matches are scheduled for:
- June 15: Belgium vs. Egypt
- June 19: United States vs. Australia
- June 24: Qatar vs. TBD
- June 26: Egypt vs. Iran
- July 1: Round of 32
- July 6: Round of 16
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