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USMNT Stars Set to Shine in 2025–26 UEFA Champions League
Sep
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League season takes on immense significance for American players vying for a spot on the national team roster. Ten USMNT talents are poised to compete for Europe’s most prestigious club title, with the league phase kicking off on September 16 and the final slated for May 30 in Budapest – just 13 days before the USMNT’s World Cup opener in Los Angeles.
USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino will undoubtedly be closely monitoring these players as they aim to impress and solidify their claims for the World Cup squad. Here’s your ultimate guide to every USMNT player competing in this season’s UEFA Champions League.
How to Watch the UEFA Champions League in the United States
For American fans eager to catch all the action, here’s how you can tune in:
- Service: CBS Sports Network
- Streaming: Paramount+
Weston McKennie – Juventus
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: Borussia Dortmund, Benfica, Sporting CP, Pafos
- Away: Real Madrid, Villarreal, Bodo/Glimt, AS Monaco
Having joined Juventus over five years ago, Weston McKennie has solidified his role as a key player despite numerous coaching changes. Although he missed the September USMNT camp, he has regained a starting position under head coach Igor Tudor. This season, he has already featured in three matches, playing a crucial 79 minutes in a thrilling 4–3 Derby d’Italia victory over last year’s UCL finalists, Inter Milan.
With over 20 Champions League appearances, McKennie brings vital experience. Juventus, who last won the title in 1996, enter this season with renewed hope thanks to strong domestic form and a compelling striker battle between Concacaf star Jonathan David and Dušan Vlahović. McKennie will be instrumental as they face formidable opponents like Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.
Tim Weah – Marseille
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: Liverpool, Atalanta, Ajax, Newcastle United
- Away: Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Sporting CP, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
Tim Weah embarks on a new Champions League chapter with Olympique Marseille after his move to Ligue 1. He has quickly established a more significant role than he had at Juventus, starting three of Marseille’s first four Ligue 1 matches, predominantly at right-back but also pushing forward into attack.
Last season, the 25-year-old son of Liberia legend George Weah made nine UCL appearances for Juventus, finding the net against PSV Eindhoven. This season kicks off with a stern test as Marseille face Real Madrid in their opening match.
Folarin Balogun – AS Monaco
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: Manchester City, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur, Galatasaray
- Away: Real Madrid, Club Brugge, Bodø/Glimt, Pafos
Fresh off a goal-scoring return to the USMNT, Folarin Balogun prepares for his Champions League campaign with AS Monaco. A strong contender for Pochettino’s starting center-forward role, the London-raised American aims to prove his mettle against Europe’s elite. The 24-year-old scored in the USMNT’s 2–0 win over Japan in September but is still chasing his first Champions League goal, having made three appearances for Monaco last season.
Monaco faces monumental challenges against Manchester City and Real Madrid, with an intriguing matchup against Weston McKennie’s Juventus slated for January 28.
Johnny Cardoso – Atlético Madrid
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: Eintracht Frankfurt, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Inter Milan, Bodø/Glimt
- Away: Liverpool, Arsenal, PSV Eindhoven, Galatasaray
Johnny Cardoso made a significant summer move to Atlético Madrid after helping Real Betis reach the UEFA Conference League final. Now, he’s set for his Champions League debut, having been a primary target for head coach Diego Simeone. Since his debut, Cardoso has accumulated 185 minutes across three matches.
Despite missing the recent national team camp, his significant minutes at the Concacaf Gold Cup bring him to 20 international appearances, placing him firmly in the battle for a 2026 World Cup roster spot. Atlético’s league phase includes formidable opponents like defending Premier League champions Liverpool, Arsenal, and Inter Milan.
Sergiño Dest and Ricardo Pepi – PSV Eindhoven
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: FC Bayern Munich, Atlético Madrid, Napoli, Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
- Away: Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen, Olympiacos, Newcastle United
American right-back Sergiño Dest and striker Ricardo Pepi are poised to be pivotal figures for PSV Eindhoven in both the Eredivisie and the Champions League, with significant World Cup roles in mind. Both recently returned from injury; Dest rejoined the USMNT lineup in September after missing the Concacaf Gold Cup. Pepi, though missing the camp, recently scored a brace against NEC Nijmegen in his first start since a knee injury sustained last season against Liverpool.
Back in form, the Champions League will be a major focus as PSV faces challenging opponents such as Liverpool, Serie A winners Napoli, and Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich. They will also encounter fellow Americans in the league phase, with matches against Malik Tillman’s Bayer Leverkusen and Johnny Cardoso’s Atlético Madrid.
Malik Tillman – Bayer Leverkusen
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: PSV Eindhoven, Paris Saint-Germain, Newcastle United, CF Villarreal
- Away: Copenhagen, Benfica, Manchester City, Olympiacos
Malik Tillman joins Bayer Leverkusen this season after a successful 2024–25 campaign with PSV, where he scored 16 goals in 34 games. Leverkusen activated his $40.9 million release clause, hoping he can fill the void left by Florian Wirtz’s transfer to Liverpool. So far, Tillman has played two matches, scoring his first goal for Leverkusen in a 3–3 draw against Werder Bremen. He and Leverkusen face defending champions Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City in the league phase.
Yunus Musah – Atalanta
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: Club Brugge, Slavia Praha, Chelsea, Athletic Club
- Away: Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Saint-Gilloise
Yunus Musah makes his return to the Champions League with Atalanta after joining on loan from AC Milan, where he struggled for minutes. While at Milan, Musah made 82 appearances and even featured in their 2–0 season-opening win over Lecce, a match where former teammate Christian Pulisic scored his first Serie A goal. Since arriving at Atalanta, the 22-year-old Musah has played 14 minutes, debuting in a 4–1 win over Lecce. He will be looking to make a significant impact against top teams like defending champions Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and a test against Weah’s Marseille and Timothy Chandler’s Frankfurt.
Timothy Chandler – Eintracht Frankfurt
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: Liverpool, Atalanta, Tottenham Hotspur, Galatasaray
- Away: FC Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Napoli, Qarabağ
It’s been a decade since Timothy Chandler last received a USMNT call-up, but the 35-year-old remains with Eintracht Frankfurt. While he is unlikely to see significant minutes, having made just three appearances last season and 22 minutes this season, his experience could be valuable if called upon in Europe’s premier club competition.
Cole Campbell – Borussia Dortmund
League Phase Opponents:
- Home: Inter Milan, Villarreal, Bodø/Glimt, Athletic Club
- Away: Manchester City, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur, Copenhagen
Cole Campbell is the youngest American in this season’s Champions League and could see minutes as he continues to integrate into Borussia Dortmund’s squad. The 19-year-old right winger made his Bundesliga debut in a 2–0 win over Heidenheim on September 13, having been in the matchday squad for Dortmund’s first two games. He made his Champions League debut last season with a 13-minute appearance against Sturm Graz and was in the matchday squad six times. This season, he could face McKennie’s Juventus, among other major tests.
