United States suffer setback as key midfielder ruled out of World Cup

It's a big blow for the co-hosts.

United States suffer setback as key midfielder ruled out of World Cup

United States midfielder Johnny Cardoso will miss the 2026 World Cup after Atletico Madrid confirmed he requires surgery on an ankle injury.

Cardoso suffered the injury in a training session last Thursday.

In a statement released on Monday, the club announced that Cardoso had suffered a “high-grade sprain with joint involvement”, which will require surgical repair.

Cardoso was likely to be a key figure for the USA in their first home World Cup since 1994.

The 24-year-old has won 23 caps for the USA, who kick off their campaign on June 12 with their opening Group D clash against Paraguay in Los Angeles.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men then face Australia a week later in Seattle before rounding off their group stage fixtures by returning to Southern California for a difficult game against Turkey at SoFi Stadium.