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The U.S. men's national team has already secured its place in the knockout rounds, but there remains a notable concern as the Stars and Stripes prepare to face Türkiye on Thursday.
Four of Mauricio Pochettino's key players—Tyler Adams, Folarin Balogun, Chris Richards, and Antonee Robinson—are each just one yellow card away from a suspension. If any of the four receive a booking at SoFi Stadium, they will be forced to sit out the round of 32.
Adams, who has featured in every minute of the 2026 World Cup to date, was cautioned during the team's 4–1 victory over Paraguay in their tournament opener. Tim Ream also picked up a yellow card in that dominant performance, though a swift VAR review resulted in the booking being overturned.
The USMNT went on to beat Australia 2–0 to secure their place in the knockout stage and claim top spot in Group D. It was a physical and heated contest, with seven players booked before the final whistle blew in Seattle. Among the Americans cautioned were Balogun, Richards, and Robinson.
Now all four players are just one caution away from being ruled out of what could be the most significant match of their international careers.
How Pochettino Can Sidestep Potential Trouble vs. Türkiye
Pochettino, like his players, will feel a sense of relief when the USMNT takes on the already-eliminated Türkiye on Thursday evening. The fixture is largely inconsequential on paper; the Stars and Stripes could suffer a defeat and still top Group D to advance to the round of 32.
That said, the host nation is naturally eager to maintain their momentum and extend their winning streak with the knockout stage fast approaching. Even more pressing than securing a third straight victory, however, is steering clear of any damaging suspensions.
After all, Adams, Balogun, Richards, and Robinson are all expected to feature in the round of 32, and losing any of these crucial players could be devastating for the USMNT. As such, the wisest move for Pochettino would be to give all four a rest on Thursday night.
It may not be the ideal situation—particularly for supporters hoping to see the Stars and Stripes at full strength—but it is the most prudent way to ensure all four starters are fit and available when the knockout rounds begin.
"Of course I want to play," Balogun said ahead of the fixture. "But it's also important to be smart and not pick up a yellow card."
When Do Yellow Cards Reset at the 2026 World Cup?
To account for the additional knockout round introduced in the newly expanded World Cup this summer, FIFA unveiled a new rule whereby yellow cards are cleared after the group stage, as well as following the quarterfinals.
As a result, players who exit the group stage with a single yellow card will have that booking wiped clean once the knockout phase gets underway. However, two yellow cards accumulated during the group stage will still trigger an automatic one-match ban.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
If Adams, Balogun, Richards, and Robinson are rested for the Group D finale, their existing bookings will have no further consequences for them or the USMNT. However, should any of the Americans be cautioned against Türkiye, they will be absent for the round of 32.
The same rule applies to red cards; any player dismissed in their final group stage match will be suspended for at least the round of 32.