USA v Turkey LIVE: Christian Pulisic return latest and team news for World Cup 2026 match

For the USMNT tonight, some team news decisions are blindingly obvious. Four key players – Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams and Chris Richards – are a booking away from being suspended for the last-32. Expect them to watch on from the bench.

“I think it’s an easy answer for the guys that have yellow cards,” Mauricio Pochettino said, at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday. “I think it’s unnecessary to take a risk and then take another yellow card and be not available for the next stage. I think that is a little bit of a normal and easy answer to not play with them from the beginning.”

Such has been the USA’s dominance in Group D and the questionable tie-break switch from goal-difference to head-to-head top spot is already wrapped up.

Contrastingly, Thursday’s opponents at the Los Angeles Stadium, perennial underachievers Turkey, are guaranteed to finish bottom even if they thrash the US later tonight.

It makes the contest a largely unsatisfying dead rubber, even in an expanded tournament where third-place could be enough for a knockout berth.

But for Mauricio Pochettino, it’s less a dead rubber and more a free hit. While there will be temptation to maintain the status quo and a perfect group-stage record, the US boss is set to rotate his starting XI.

They already know their last-32 match-up will be in Santa Clara next Wednesday against a high-ranked third-place team (which would currently be Bosnia and Herzegovina). Rest and rotation are clearly the priority.

The major question revolves around USA star Christian Pulisic, who was substituted at half-time in their opening win over Paraguay before missing the victory against Australia altogether.

“It was impossible for him today to play,” Mauricio Pochettino said, referring to the forward’s hamstring injury. “We hope that next game he will be available, but if we want to win the competition, we need the whole team. All of the players need to be important but of course Christian is one of the best players in the world and I hope that he can recover as soon as possible and can show it on the pitch and help the team.”

The United States are guaranteed Group D winners while Turkey will definitely finish bottom – yet there is still plenty Mauricio Pochettino can learn, not least about the fitness of key man Christian Pulisic ahead of the knockout stage, writes Kieran Jackson in Los Angeles.

It’s been a dream start to the World Cup for the United States. With excitement around the USMNT growing, can they continue their momentum against Turkey in Los Angeles to bolster their emerging status as tournament contenders?

The USA, on paper, have nothing to play for. After wins over Paraguay and Turkey, they are safely through to the knockout stages as winners of Group D. Turkey, too, have no skin in the game. They are already out after two defeats.

But the USA will want to fuel the belief that this could be a special summer, as Mauricio Pochettino’s team returns to the So-Fi Stadium in Los Angeles, the scene of their impressive opening victory over Paraguay.

Kick off is at 5pm PT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET, which works out to 3am BST.