U.S. men's national team head coach explains why Alabama’s Chris Richards will not play against Senegal

Birmingham native and Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards will be sidelined for the U.S. men’s national team's upcoming friendly against Senegal. The standout defender is currently navigating a recovery process following an ankle injury sustained during a recent match against Brentford.

Status Update and World Cup Outlook

Although Richards returned to training recently, he did not feature in Palace’s UEFA Cup final earlier this week. Despite the ongoing recovery, he remains a key part of the national team setup, having been named one of the 26 players selected for the 2026 World Cup roster.

Ahead of Sunday's clash in Charlotte, the USMNT manager confirmed that Richards will stay in Atlanta to continue his rehabilitation. You can read more about the decision via this report on the team's strategy.

USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino is closely monitoring the situation as the tournament approaches. "It’s too early. We need to see," Pochettino noted. "The next few days are going to be key to see the possibility [of Richards] to be ready or not on the World Cup.”

Looking Toward the World Cup

Following the match against Senegal, the USMNT is slated to face Germany in its final friendly before tournament play begins. The U.S. officially opens its 2026 World Cup campaign on June 12 at 8 p.m., with the match hosted at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.