ORLANDO, Fla. (May 26, 2026) – Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, the U.S. Men's National Team announced that former Orlando City SC defender Alex Freeman has been named to the 26-man roster that will play in this year's tournament, becoming the first Lions player to go through the Academy, MLS NEXT Pro and MLS levels before playing in the World Cup.
Freeman made 34 starts in 42 appearances for the Lions across all competitions in MLS, scoring six goals and adding seven assists. The American right back was selected to the MLS All‑Star team, the MLS All‑Star Skills Challenge, and the MLS Best XI in 2025. He also became the first Orlando City player to win the league’s Young Player of the Year award.
A product of the Orlando City Academy, Freeman made 30 appearances (28 starts) for the U17s, scoring eight goals and providing 15 assists en route to the MLS Next Cup U17 Championship in 2021.
After numerous call-ups to the U.S. youth national teams, Freeman finally broke into the first team in 2025, earning his first caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He made his debut on June 6, 2025, in an international friendly against Türkiye and went on to make 13 appearances for the U.S., scoring twice in a 5-1 friendly win over Uruguay on November 18.
Freeman and the U.S. will open the tournament on June 12 against Paraguay. The match will be broadcast live at the Pointe Orlando as part of the Orlando Soccer Celebration, presented by Verizon. Kickoff for the match is set for 9 p.m. ET.
