ATLANTA (Oct. 14, 2025) – U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team head coach Everett Palache has selected 23 players for the team’s friendly against Germany which will be the first game of a historic doubleheader with the U.S. Women’s National Team on Sunday, October 26 at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Coming just two weeks before the Deaf MNT departs for the 2025 Deaflympics in Fukushima, Japan, the camp and match serve as important preparation for the tournament and is part of U.S. Soccer’s continued focus on the U.S. Way philosophy which prioritizes strategic investment in resources, infrastructure, and holistic support for the Extended National Teams — including the Deaf National Teams — to ensure they are equipped to compete and succeed at the highest levels of international play.
Seventeen players from the squad that helped the USA claim the bronze medal at the 2024 Deaf Pan American Games are on the roster for USA-Germany, presented by Volkswagen at 1 p.m. ET. As part of the historic occasion, the match will be shown live in English on truTV and HBO Max, and in Spanish via Telemundo Deportes Ahora. In the day’s second game, the USWNT will face Portugal at 4 p.m. ET (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, Peacock).
“Being paired with the U.S. Women’s National Team, broadcast live on national television, and backed by a title sponsor like Volkswagen is more than a spotlight — it’s a breakthrough,” Palache said. “This moment reflects the drive, effort, adaptability and faith that define our team. Our players have overcome challenges most can’t see, and now the world gets to witness not just how we play, but who we are. It’s an honor to represent the Deaf community and U.S. Soccer on such a historic stage.”
Headlining the roster are U.S. Soccer’s previous two Deaf Male Players of the Year, Kevin Fitzpatrick (Hopatcong, N.J.), who won in 2024, and Chris Bourdon (San Diego, Calif.) who claimed the prize in 2023. Long-time Deaf MNT veterans Braden Anderson (Boise, Idaho), JP Kanashiro (Springfield, Va.), Eddie Perry (Dellwood, Minn.), Raul Silva (San Diego, Calif.) and Michael Schmid (Oberlin, Ohio) also bring important experience to the side as it continues preparations for November’s Deaflympics in Japan.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Sam Lang*^ (Fort Thomas, Ky.; 0/0), Andrew Lenert (Long Beach, Calif.; 0/0), Ethan Sullivan (Laguna Niguel, Calif.; 0/0),
DEFENDERS (8): Aidan Burns^ (Cornwall, N.Y.; 6/0), Philip Cruz (St. Augustine, Fla.; 0/0), Kevin Fitzpatrick*^ (Hopatcong, N.J.; 22/0), Luke Haubruge*^ (San Marcos, Calif.; 2/0), Tate Lancaster*^ (Overland Park, Kan.; 13/1), Kevin Oladimeji^ (Washington, D.C.; 1/0), Eddie Perry*^ (Dellwood, Minn.; 21/0), JJ Waterman^ (Altoona, Iowa; 2/0)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Braden Anderson*^ (Boise, Idaho; 19/2), Dawson Anderson*^ (Boise, Idaho; 12/1), JP Kanashiro*^ (Springfield, Va.; 36/3), Joseph Kennedy Jr. (Philadelphia, Pa.; 0/0), Raul Silva*^ (San Diego, Calif.; 29/4)
FORWARDS (7): Samson Abraham^ (Seattle, Wash.; 3/0), Chris Bourdon*^ (San Diego, Calif.; 10/2), Jacob Contreras (Tucson, Ariz; 0/0), Daniel De Moura^ (Holliston, Mass.; 1/0), Bennett Haas^ (Sewickley, Pa.; 3/1), Stanley Odoms Jr. (Pflugerville, Texas; 0/0), Michael Schmid*^ (Oberlin, Ohio; 28/13)
^Part of squad at 2024 Deaf Pan American Games
* Part of squad at 2023 DIFA World Deaf Football Championships
The history of the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team dates back to 1965 when the side played its first matches at that year’s Deaflympics in Washington, D.C. The Deaf MNT participated in international competition under U.S. Soccer Federation member association USA Deaf Soccer Association until 2022 when, along with the Deaf Women’s National Team and Power Soccer National Team, became fully-funded programs under Federation’s Extended National Teams.
The Deaf MNT has taken part in eight previous Deaflympics, as well as four DIFA World Deaf Football Championship tournaments and three editions of the Deaf Pan American Games.
The team’s top achievement came at the 2008 World Championships, where the side advanced to the semifinals before falling on penalty kicks to Turkiÿe and claiming fourth place.
The Deaf MNT qualified for next month’s Deaflympics by virtue of finishing third at the 2024 Deaf Pan American Games in Canoas, Brazil. After drawing 0-0 with Argentina in the group stage, the USA went toe-to-toe with Brazil, drawing the hosts 2-2 behind goals from brothers Braden and Dawson Anderson, but ultimately fell 6-5 on penalty kicks. The team rallied in the Bronze Medal Match, getting a brace from Michael Schmid and goals from Bennett Haas and Tommy Salvi to defeat Mexico 4-0, as well as qualify for this year’s Deaflympics and the 2027 DIFA World Deaf Football Championships in Sydney, Australia.
Following the Germany friendly, the Deaf MNT will reconvene next month in Fukushima, Japan for the 2025 Deaflympics. Drawn into Group D, the USA will face Ukraine on Nov. 16 (2:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. local), followed by Senegal on Nov. 18 (2:30 a.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. local). The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Out of the five disciplines that make up U.S. Soccer’s ENT programming, Deaf Soccer holds the closest resemblance to the standard game, with only two main rules that differentiate it. First, the sport is contested by Deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes, with qualifying players needing to have a hearing loss of at least 55 decibels in their “better ear.” All players competing in Deaf matches must remove all hearing aids before playing.
Secondly, referees have a flag which they raise along with blowing their whistle to provide a visual cue for players to know when play has stopped. Aside from those two adaptations, Deaf Soccer follows the standard 11-a-side Laws of the Game governed by the International Football Association Board.
The U.S. Way is a shared philosophy, a strategy and a practical toolkit to enable excellence at every level of the game and for us to win. The U.S. Way is intended to work in partnership between the club and National Team environment to cultivate the next generation of talent with three areas of focus: World Class Development Pathways and Environments, including scaled Talent Identification, expanded Youth National Team programming and accelerated development and foundation building across the Extended National Teams; Shared and Scaled Infrastructure, highlighted by the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center, U.S. Way digital platform and unified youth calendar; and Professional Development for the Entire Ecosystem, featuring formal courses, technical and administrative staff community building, leadership development, and best practice resource sharing. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision/us-way.
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer has been the official governing body of the sport in the United States for more than 100 years. As U.S. Soccer looks toward the future amid an unprecedented moment of opportunity, it has aligned its efforts around five strategic pillars: Grow the game by increasing youth and adult participation and accessibility to the sport; Foster best playing environments through quality of referees and coaches, and commitment to participant safety; Develop winning teams through solidified pathways and success of professional leagues; Grow the soccer economy to fuel reinvestment by increasing membership, fandom and commercial success; and Create a world-class organization through revitalized structure and culture, best-in-class talent, progress in DEIB, and more. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.