FC Dallas will have a contingent of former players representing the United States at this summer’s World Cup. Four FC Dallas Academy products – Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, Chris Richards and Alex Zendejas – have been named to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, kicking off in just over two weeks.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino announced the 26-player squad at a roster reveal event in New York City Tuesday afternoon.
The United States is in Group D alongside Australia, Paraguay and Türkiye and will kick off its tournament on Friday, June 12 in Los Angeles. Prior to the tournament, the USMNT will play two preparation friendly matches against Senegal (May 31) and Germany (June 6).
Opponent |
Date |
Location |
Paraguay |
June 12, 8pm |
Los Angeles Stadium |
Australia |
June 19, 2pm |
Seattle Stadium |
Türkiye |
June 25, 9pm |
Los Angeles Stadium |
FC Dallas Roots
Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, Chris Richards and Alex Zendejas can all trace their soccer roots back to FC Dallas and its Development Academy.
McKennie is probably FC Dallas’ most well-known export, despite never playing for its first team. McKennie grew up in Little Elm, Texas and developed in the FCD Academy from 2009 to 2016. After turning 18, McKennie signed for German club Schalke 04 where he’d go on to play four seasons before joining 36-time Italian champions Juventus in 2020. The 26-year-old has been a mainstay for the U.S. Men’s National Team since 2017 and featured heavily in the 2022 World Cup for then-head coach Gregg Berhalter’s side.
Pepi joined the FC Dallas Academy in 2016 from its El Paso affiliate club in his hometown. He signed his first pro contract with FCD’s second team, North Texas SC, in late 2018 as its first-ever player. Pepi famously scored a hat trick on his pro debut and went on to sign a Homegrown contract with FCD midway through 2019. Pepi enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021, becoming an MLS All-Star and winning MLS Young Player of the Year after a 12-goal campaign. He subsequently signed for German club FC Augsburg in FCD’s record outgoing transfer. After one season in Germany, Pepi went on loan to Dutch side FC Groningen where he scored 12 goals and earned a permanent transfer to PSV Eindhoven, one of the Netherland’s biggest clubs. Pepi debuted for the USMNT in 2021 and has been nominated for U.S. Soccer's Male Player of the Year twice.
An Alabama native, Richards joined the FCD Academy from Texans SC Houston in 2017 and signed a Homegrown contract in 2018. He was then loaned from FCD to FC Bayern Munich as part of the clubs’ now-defunct player development partnership, before joining the German giants permanently a year later without every suiting up for Dallas’ first team. Richards played five games in the Bundesliga for Bayern before joining 1899 Hoffenheim on loan for two consecutive seasons. In 2022, Richards departed Bayern for the Premier League with Crystal Palace where he helped lead the club to its first major trophy: the 2025 FA Cup. Richards has been a mainstay for the USMNT since his debut in 2020 (although he missed out on the 2022 World Cup through injury) and was named U.S. Soccer's 2025 Male Player of the Year.
Alex Zendejas signed a Homegrown contract with FC Dallas in 2014 after joining its Academy via its El Paso affiliate club, a path Pepi would follow a few years later. Zendejas was the club’s 13th Homegrown and went on to make eight appearances. He subsequently joined Mexico’s Chivas Guadalajara permanently before being sent on loan to Zacatepec. In 2020, Zendejas transferred to Necaxa where he enjoyed two successful years before being recruited by Club América, one of the continent’s biggest clubs. A dual national, Zendejas originally represented Mexico internationally before filing a one-time switch to play for the United States.
