Richards Trains Solo, USMNT Awaits World Cup Verdict

A Solo Workout, Days From a World Cup Opener

Chris Richards walked onto the training field with his USMNT teammates on Wednesday, then walked off to the side. The Crystal Palace defender, recovering from two torn ankle ligaments, spent the session in Fayetteville, Georgia, on resistance band work with two staff members while the rest of Mauricio Pochettino's squad trained with the ball, CBS Sports reported. It was the first time Richards had appeared outside since reporting to camp the previous Friday, and seven days separated him from the United States' World Cup opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.

The setting matters as much as the schedule. The U.S. Soccer National Training Center near Atlanta is where Pochettino's group has rehearsed for a tournament the country co-hosts with Canada and Mexico, and the daily clips have become a small ritual on the United States' road to the home World Cup. For supporters watching from couches and offices, a streaming subscription trial through the tournament window keeps live training sessions and friendlies within reach.

Pochettino's Cautious Read

The coach has refused to commit to a timeline. "It's too early. We need to see. The next few days are going to be key," Pochettino told reporters last weekend, per CBS Sports, after he was asked whether Richards would be available for the June 12 opener. Speaking to ESPN earlier the same week, he framed the question in similar terms, saying the staff would assess "the possibility to be ready or not on the World Cup." Tim Ream, named captain on May 30, will lead the line in Chicago against Germany on Saturday, June 6, with the United States still searching for its starting back four if Richards cannot answer the bell.

For the Road to 2026, This Matters

For the road to 2026, this matters because depth at center back is the story beneath the Richards headline; the tournament window is long, and a 26-player squad still forces choices that decide tournaments. Pochettino can replace an injured player up to 24 hours before kickoff against Paraguay, per Goal.com, which buys time but also creates a binary choice that lingers across the group stage. The Group D path runs through Paraguay, Australia, and Türkiye, and the spine of the back four will decide whether the United States manages tempo across three short turnarounds.

How Richards Got Here

Richards tore the two ligaments in a Premier League visit to Brentford, where Palace drew 2-2, and missed the club's league finale against Arsenal a week later. He was an unused substitute as Palace lifted the UEFA Conference League trophy in Leipzig on May 27, ESPN reported. Crystal Palace coach Oliver Glasner described the recovery plainly at the time: "He tore two ligaments in his ankle. I think it's stable, but quite swollen, and we have to deal with the swelling." Glasner added that Richards was at the training ground "from sunrise until sunset having treatments." The defender then flew from Europe to Atlanta to join the USMNT, sitting out Sunday's 3-2 win over Senegal in Charlotte while staying behind at the training center.

Why Ream's Captaincy Reads Differently Now

The decision to name Ream, 38, to the armband on May 30 reads differently with Richards uncertain. Ream has worn the band in 16 of Pochettino's 23 matches in charge, per ESPN, and the coach explained the choice in steady terms: "I think he has the experience, he has the capacity to be the leader that we want, the positive leader acting and reflecting on the field, off the field." With the spine still in flux, the captain's role widens beyond ceremony as the staff balances late call-ups, travel fatigue, and a defender still working back to full training. The USMNT squad page tracks call-ups for readers building their viewing plans.

The Soldier Field Indicator

Saturday's friendly against Germany at Soldier Field, the last tune-up before the tournament, will be the clearest read on where the back four lands without Richards. The United States closes camp in Chicago, then moves on to its Irvine base in Orange County. If Pochettino can settle on a starting eleven that survives a Kai Havertz and Jamal Musiala test, the Paraguay opener becomes a matter of fine-tuning rather than reinvention. The tournament venue list is worth a bookmark for kickoff times at SoFi, Lumen Field, and the June 25 finale in Los Angeles, and broadcast windows are stacking quickly, so a streaming guide for the group stage helps keep daytime kickoffs straight.

Sources

• CBS Sports: Chris Richards training individually, injury status still unclear for World Cup opener
• ESPN: Tim Ream named USMNT captain; Chris Richards a World Cup doubt
• ESPN: USMNT's Chris Richards tears ankle ligaments ahead of World Cup
• Goal.com: USMNT World Cup notebook on Pochettino, Ream and Richards
• U.S. Soccer: USMNT vs. Germany match hub, Soldier Field, June 6, 2026