WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. men’s national team has already done the hard part in Group D, but Thursday’s match against Türkiye still carries real importance before the knockout stage begins.
About the match
The U.S. faces Türkiye on Thursday, June 25, at Los Angeles Stadium.
The match is the final Group D game for both teams.
The U.S. enters the match with its spot in the round of 32 already clinched and first place in Group D secured.
Türkiye has already been eliminated from the tournament.
Why the U.S. could rotate its lineup
With first place already locked up, the biggest storyline for the U.S. is not whether it can advance. It is how Mauricio Pochettino manages his roster before the knockout stage.
FOX Sports reported that Pochettino confirmed the four U.S. players carrying yellow cards will not start against Türkiye.
That group includes Folarin Balogun, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards and Antonee "Jedi" Robinson.
If any of those players picked up another yellow card in the final group match, they would be suspended for the U.S. team’s first knockout game.
Yellow cards reset after the group stage, but suspensions do not. That makes resting those players the safest move.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 19: Alex Freeman of United States celebrates with his teammates after scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Australia at Seattle Stadium on June 19, 2026 in Seattle, Was …
Who could rest for the U.S.
The four yellow-card players are not the only ones who could sit.
Several U.S. regulars could get rest, including players who came into the tournament dealing with injuries or recent returns.
Christian Pulisic is nearing a return from a sore calf, but FOX Sports projected that he could come off the bench instead of starting.
Tim Ream, Sergiño Dest, Weston McKennie and other key players could also be managed with the knockout stage ahead.
For the U.S., this match is a rare chance to balance rhythm, rest and risk.
Projected USMNT lineup
FOX Sports projected a heavily rotated U.S. lineup against Türkiye.
The projected starting lineup included:
Goalkeeper: Matt Freese
Left back: Max Arfsten
Center back: Auston Trusty
Center back: Mark McKenzie
Center back: Miles Robinson
Right back: Joe Scally
Central midfielder: Weston McKennie
Central midfielder: Sebastian Berhalter
Attacking midfielder: Brenden Aaronson
Striker: Tim Weah
Striker: Ricardo Pepi
The lineup would give several players their biggest opportunity of the tournament while keeping key starters available for the round of 32.
Player to watch
Ricardo Pepi is one of the U.S. players to watch Thursday.
FOX Sports analyst Laken Litman picked Pepi as the player to watch, noting that he could start again with Balogun sitting on a yellow card.
Pepi started against Australia with Pulisic out and helped force the own goal in the U.S. win.
Against Türkiye, he could get another chance to lead the line and push for his first World Cup goal.
What to expect from Türkiye
Türkiye enters the match already eliminated, but the team is one of the more talented sides at the bottom of its group, and has widely been labeled as one of the "biggest disappointments" of the tournament.
Türkiye has not scored in its first two matches, despite creating chances. The team had 62 shots through its first two games without scoring.
That makes Thursday’s match a strange one: Türkiye has nothing left to play for in the standings, but it still has enough talent to make the game difficult if the U.S. rotates heavily.
Why the match still matters
Even with the group already clinched, the U.S. still has something to protect.
A strong performance would keep momentum high going into the knockout stage.
A sloppy performance could raise questions before the tournament becomes single elimination.
The U.S. also has a chance to finish the group stage with three wins, while giving important minutes to players who may be needed later in the tournament.
What's next:
The U.S. will play its first knockout-stage match in the round of 32.
For Türkiye, Thursday’s match will be its final game of the World Cup.
The Source: This article was written using information from FOX Sports and FIFA.