USMNT vs. Haiti: Pulisic, Balogun Back for Nations League Quarterfinal
The first competitive test of the 2030 cycle starts Saturday in Miami, and Pochettino has his big names back.
The U.S. men’s national team finally plays a game that counts again. USMNT vs. Haiti opens the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals Saturday, Nov. 14, at 4:30 p.m. ET in Miami, and Mauricio Pochettino is bringing back the three names fans missed most this fall: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun.
It’s the first competitive series of the 2030 World Cup cycle. The fall window was all friendlies, and the U.S. won all four. Now there’s a trophy path on the line.
USMNT vs. Haiti: kickoff times, TV and venues
Both legs are on American soil. Haiti is technically the home team for the opener, but the game was moved to Inter Miami’s Nu Stadium because of ongoing security concerns in Haiti, MLSsoccer.com reported. The series is decided on total goals over the two games.
| Leg | Date | Kickoff | Venue | TV / stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (Haiti home) | Sat., Nov. 14 | 4:30 p.m. ET | Nu Stadium, Miami | TBS, truTV, HBO Max; Universo, Peacock (Spanish) |
| 2nd (U.S. home) | Tue., Nov. 17 | 7 p.m. ET | TQL Stadium, Cincinnati | TBS, truTV, HBO Max; Universo, Peacock (Spanish) |
The aggregate winner books a spot in the Nations League Finals next March at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and also qualifies directly for the 2027 Gold Cup. The U.S. won the first three editions of the Nations League. Mexico is the defending champion.
Pulisic, McKennie and Balogun return
All three sat out the September and October friendlies for different reasons. Balogun was left off last month with a minor injury, FOX Sports reported, and he has played sparingly for Monaco since his proposed move to Everton fell apart late in the summer window.
Pulisic, on the other hand, is coming in hot after scoring for AC Milan in the derby against Inter on Oct. 31. With Balogun up top and Pulisic on the wing, the U.S. has its most dangerous attack available for the first time since the World Cup.
Tyler Adams remains captain. Pochettino didn’t sound like a coach expecting an easy two games. He told FOX Sports the series will be “tough, tough, tough,” citing Haiti’s physicality and quality.
A beautiful day to be in Red White & Blue. pic.twitter.com/spIAWFuwS9
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) November 10, 2026
Gio Reyna out, Jack McGlynn in
There’s already been one change. Gio Reyna was withdrawn with an injury on Nov. 7, and Pochettino replaced him with Stoke City midfielder Jack McGlynn, U.S. Soccer announced. U.S. Soccer didn’t give details on Reyna’s injury.
McGlynn earned the call. The 23-year-old leads Stoke with five goals in 11 appearances and has scored in each of his last three games in the English Championship. He also knows this opponent: he came off the bench in the 2-1 win over Haiti at the 2025 Gold Cup, the last time the U.S. beat Les Grenadiers.
The young names to watch
This roster leans young. Defender Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville SC) and midfielder Santiago Castañeda (Paderborn) are first-time call-ups. Seventeen-year-old Cavan Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union is back after becoming the youngest goal scorer in USMNT history against Mexico on Oct. 3, according to bet365 News.
Borussia Dortmund’s Mathis Albert, also 17, is here too, even with only about 20 Bundesliga minutes this season. Pochettino has called him one of the most talented players in the U.S. pool.
The goalkeeper spot is open. Matt Freese started at the World Cup, but Brian Schwake and Diego Kochen both played well in the fall window and are on this roster.
What Haiti brings
Haiti is ranked 84th in the world, well below the 16th-ranked Americans, per AP. That gap doesn’t tell the whole story. Les Grenadiers played at the World Cup this summer for just the second time ever and the first since 1974. They reached this round by finishing second in their League A group, edging the Dominican Republic on goal difference.
History is close, too. The teams have met 19 times since 1954, and the U.S. holds an 8-6-5 edge, Field Level Media reported. In that 2025 Gold Cup meeting, Haiti punished a U.S. giveaway for an equalizer before the Americans pulled it out.
Saturday in Miami sets the tone
A result in the first leg of a two-leg tie matters, even when the “away” game is in South Florida. If the U.S. leaves Miami with a lead, Tuesday night in Cincinnati becomes a chance to give the young players minutes. If not, Pochettino’s veterans will carry a lot more weight in the second leg.
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Sources: U.S. Soccer, MLSsoccer.com, FOX Sports, AP, Field Level Media, Sports Illustrated, Yardbarker, bet365 News, USMNT