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Jeff Carlisle
U.S. Soccer vice president Oguchi Onyewu announced that the traditional January camp for the U.S. men’s national team will not take place this winter. Instead, the camp is set to move to December, starting in 2026.
Historically, the January camp has been a key component of the USMNT setup. While it often excluded players based overseas, it held particular significance for MLS players aspiring to join the national team. The inaugural camp was held in 1997, following MLS’s first season in 1996.
In the camp’s early years, the MLS Cup was played in October, with the following season commencing in April, resulting in a six-month gap between competitive matches for MLS players. However, as the MLS schedule evolved, the utility of the January camp diminished. Now, the MLS Cup occurs in December, and the regular season kicks off in February, causing overlaps between the camp and MLS preseason.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and a player pool already established, the decision was made to forgo this winter’s camp.
“The U.S. Way revolves around two main priorities: enhancing opportunities for both youth and senior national team players and fostering strong relationships with domestic leagues and clubs,” Onyewu stated.
“Historically, the January camp has served as a crucial platform for evaluating and integrating players, with many current and former U.S. men’s national team members earning their first international caps during this time. Its contribution to our program’s development and player pathways has been significant and lasting.”
Numerous players have leveraged the January camp as a launchpad for their international careers. For example, U.S. defender Tim Ream participated in the 2011 camp, while Mark McKenzie attended both the 2019 and 2020 camps. Last January, players like Max Arfsten, Diego Luna, Patrick Agyemang, and Matt Freese utilized the camp to advance their roles under current U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino. The next camp for USMNT talent is now set for approximately 15 months from now.
“This change aims to maintain the developmental and evaluative advantages of the camp while reducing scheduling conflicts for clubs and players,” Onyewu continued. “The December timeframe provides a more balanced opportunity that lessens overlaps with preseason preparations and aligns better with player recovery cycles, while still granting our national team coaches a valuable chance to evaluate and integrate domestic talent.”