CHICAGO (Jan. 6, 2025) – With a massive year of important official competitions on the horizon, 24 players have been called to Ft. Lauderdale for the first January camp under USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
This is a critical year for the program which includes the Concacaf Nations League Finals and the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, the last opportunities for players to showcase their abilities in tournament conditions before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The training camp begins Jan. 7 in Ft. Lauderdale, with the team opening its 2025 schedule against 2024 Copa America quarterfinalists Venezuela on Jan. 18 at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Kickoff for the USA’s first match of the year is set for 3 p.m. ET. [TICKETS] The match will be broadcast live on TNT, Telemundo, Universo, Max and Peacock, with Spanish-language audio available on Fútbol de Primera radio.
The team will then head to Orlando and complete the two-match Florida swing with a friendly against Costa Rica on Jan. 22 at Inter&Co Stadium. Kickoff from the home of Orlando City and NWSL champion Orlando Pride is 7 p.m. ET. [TICKETS]. TNT, truTV, Universo, Max and Peacock will show the match live, with Spanish-language audio provided by Fútbol de Primera radio.
Fans will be able to follow the match via Twitter @USMNT, Instagram @USMNT, Facebook and The Official U.S. Soccer App.
With the match date falling outside a FIFA international window, a total of 23 of 24 players come from MLS rosters who will have a chance to showcase their talents to the coaching staff as they continue to evaluate the player pool ahead of the World Cup being hosted on home soil for the first time since 1994. The annual January Camp has a long history of being a launching point for players to make a World Cup roster, including three players on this roster: Jesús Ferreira, Tim Ream and Walker Zimmerman.
“We are extremely excited to work with a new group of players and continue to implement our ideas,” Pochettino said. “As I have said, MLS is very important to the National Team project, and these players have earned this opportunity.”
GOALKEEPERS (4): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Matt Freese (New York City FC; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 2/0), Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids; 29/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew; 0/0), George Campbell (CF Montréal; 0/0), DeJuan Jones (Columbus Crew; 8/0), Shaq Moore (FC Dallas; 19/1), Jalen Neal (CF Montréal; 6/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 66/1), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 30/3), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; 4/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 41/3)
MIDFIELDERS (4): Benjamin Cremaschi (Inter Miami; 1/0), Emeka Eneli (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 1/0), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; 1/0)
FORWARDS (7): Patrick Agyemang (Charlotte FC; 0/0), Caden Clark (CF Montréal; 0/0), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 23/15), Brian Gutiérrez (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Matko Miljevic (Unattached; 0/0), Indiana Vassilev (St. Louis CITY; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps; 1/0)
The USMNT’s January training camp roster is traditionally filled with rising talents getting their first looks with the senior team and this year’s squad is no different. Seven players earn their first call-ups to a USMNT camp: Patrick Agyemang, Max Arfsten, George Campbell, Emeka Eneli, Brian Gutiérrez, Matko Miljevic, and Indiana Vassilev. In total, 10 players have the chance to make their first appearance for the senior team.
The roster has been infused with a core of experience. Thirteen of the 24 players have earned USMNT caps, with six holding double-digit appearances: Tim Ream (66), Walker Zimmerman (41), Miles Robinson (30), Zack Steffen (29), Jesús Ferreira (23), Shaq Moore (19).
Ream, a finalist for the 2024 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, has captained all four matches since Pochettino took the reins of the National Team last September. Meantime, 2022 World Cup vets Jesús Ferreira and Walker Zimmerman return to the U.S. fold for the first time since 2023.
The annual January Camp has a long history of providing opportunities for MLS-based players to get an extended look from the coaching staff and make an impact. Dating back to 1999, 30 players who have debuted or earned their second cap during the USMNT’s first camp of a calendar year have gone on to make a FIFA World Cup roster.
From the USA’s squad at Qatar 2022, nine players earned their first or second cap during a January camp match, including captain Tyler Adams, forward Brenden Aaronson, defenders Walker Zimmerman and Tim Ream and starting goalkeeper Matt Turner. The list of alumni also includes five members of the 100-cap club: Jozy Altidore, DaMarcus Beasley, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan.
Venezuela enjoyed a successful year with multiple impressive results. La Vinotinto reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 Copa América after topping their group with three straight wins, including a 1-0 shutout against Mexico. Now in qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they have earned 1-1 draws against defending World Cup champion Argentina and five-time champs Brazil.
The USMNT holds a 3W-1L-2D edge in the series dating back to 1993, with all but one of the meetings taking place in the United States. Most recently, the visitors got the best of the U.S. team, securing a 3-0 win on June 9, 2019 in Cincinnati.
Playing at the home of 2024 MLS Supporters Shield winners Inter Miami, the USMNT returns to South Florida for the first time since Dec. 9, 2020, a 6-0 win against El Salvador. Overall, the USA boasts an unbeaten 4W-0L-1D record in Ft. Lauderdale dating back to 1980.
Costa Rica has proven throughout the decades to be a most formidable opponent. In the nearly 50 years since the first encounter, the overall record is near even at 19W-17L-6D with the slight edge going to the USMNT. All 19 of the USA’s victories have come at home, most recently the 2-1 win in World Cup Qualifying on Oct. 13, 2021, in front of a sold-out crowd in Columbus, Ohio punctuated by the wonder strike from Sergiño Dest.
In addition, the USMNT faced Costa Rica in one of its most memorable home matches ever: the Snow Clasico in Commerce City, Colo. on March 22, 2013. Playing during a snowstorm in the Rocky Mountains, Clint Dempsey scored the USA’s lone goal for a 1-0 win.
The home of Orlando City and the Orlando Pride has been quite inhospitable to guests of the USMNT as not a single opponent has left with a winning result. The perfect 6W-0L-0D record for the United States includes matches in World Cup Qualifiers and the Concacaf Nations League. Four of the six U.S. victories have come by shutout with the Americans pouring in 22 goals overall while surrendering just two.
The USA’s last January camp appearance in Orlando came Jan. 31, 2021. In the 7-0 route of Trinidad and Tobago, future World Cup 'keeper Matt Turner saved a penalty kick and earned a shutout in his international debut and three different U.S. attackers – Paul Arriola, Jesús Ferreira and Jonathan Lewis – scored multiple goals, a feat that was last accomplished in 1993.