Pulisic, Balogun, McKennie back on US roster for CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals vs. Haiti

NEW YORK (AP) — Looking to the present along with the future, U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino recalled Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie to the national team for its CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals against Haiti while bringing in Reed Baker-Whiting and Santiago Castañeda for possible debuts.

Pochettino’s 25-man roster announced Wednesday included 19 of the players who were with the team for friendlies in September and October and half of the 26 players he took to this year’s World Cup — including 10 starters in the Americans' final match against Belgium. Six players are under 20.

“It’s very important for us to add more options, more players with the possibility to challenge the familiar faces,” Pochettino said during an online news conference from London.

Pulisic missed the exhibition wins over Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada while the winger worked his way back from a microfracture of his right tibia and fibula sustained in the 4-1 loss to Belgium at the World Cup's round of 16.

Balogun, a striker whose red card-suspension at the World Cup was controversially suspended after a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to FIFA head Gianni Infantino, was omitted for those friendlies when he didn't play in Monaco's first four Ligue 1 matches this season after a possible transfer to Everton fell through. He has appeared in five matches since, all as a second-half substitute.

"It’s a great opportunity to keep helping him to evolve after a tough summer, after the World Cup," Pochettino said.

Pochettino's young players are headed by striker Cavan Sullivan, who made his national team debut in September two days before his 17th birthday and became the youngest American goal scorer a week later against Mexico. The roster also includes 17-year-old midfielders Mathis Albert and Adri Mehmeti, 18-year-old forward Julian Hall, 19-year-old forward Justin Ellis and 19-year-old defender Neil Pierre.

Baker-Whiting, a Nashville right back, and Castañeda, a Paderborn midfielder, are both 21.

Defender Bryan Reynolds, 25, returns to the team for the first time since the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He debuted in 2021 at age 19.

"They deserve the possibility to be with us, for us to feel them and for them to to see how they can fit in our national team," Pochettino said.

Bypassed players include goalkeeper Matt Turner, defenders Max Arfsten, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Mark McKenzie and Joe Scally, midfielder Aidan Morris and winger Tim Weah.

After training in Georgia, the No. 16 U.S. faces 84th-ranked Haiti on Nov. 14 in Miami and Nov. 17 in Cincinnati in a total-goals series for a berth in the Nations League semifinals to be played from March 22-30 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

Dropped players who were on the September roster include goalkeeper Chris Brady, defenders Miles Robinson and Frankie Westfield, midfielders Zavier Gozo and Yunus Musah, and forwards Cole Campbell and Damion Downs.

Some players not selected will be with the under-23 team preparing for the 2028 Olympics. Its training camp roster will be announced Thursday.

Defender Miles Robinson, midfielder Johnny Cardoso and forwards Haji Wright and Alejandro Zendejas were ruled out because of injuries. Striker Ricardo Pepi was left off following a leg muscle injury that sidelined him between Sept. 20 and last Saturday.

Defender George Campbell was selected but left West Bromwich Albion's match Tuesday because of an injury and could be replaced.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (New York City), Diego Kochen (Lyngby), Brian Schwake (Nashville).

Defenders: Reed Baker-Whiting (Nashville), George Campbell (West Bromwich Albion), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Neil Pierre (Philadelphia), Bryan Reynolds (Rennes), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Auston Trusty (Celtic).

Midfielders: Tyler Adams (Bournemouth), Mathis Albert (Borussia Dortmund), Sebastian Berhalter (Middlesbrough), Santiago Castañeda (Paderborn), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Adri Mehmeti (New York Red Bulls), Gio Reyna (Strasbourg), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen).

Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Justin Ellis (Orlando), Julian Hall (New York Red Bulls), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia).

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Juventus' Weston McKennie, left, fights for the ball with Napoli's Kevin De Bruyne during the Serie A soccer match between Juventus and Napoli in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (Marco Alpozzi/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan's Christian Pulisic celebrates after scoring a goal during the Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Inter Milan, Saturday, Oct. 31 , 2026, in Milan Itay. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Florida authorities said two people were dead, including a suspect, after witnesses reported a shooting Wednesday at Citibank’s sprawling business complex that employs thousands in the Tampa area.

More than 360 deputies swarmed the campus, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said. TV video showed long lines of workers streaming out of the office buildings. The sheriff's office said in a social media post that it had “responded to an active threat and is currently clearing the building.”

The sheriff's office said a suspect and one other person were dead. It was not immediately known whether anyone else was injured.

“We believe this is a targeted incident,” Sheriff Chad Chronister posted on the social platform X.

The Citibank campus in suburban Tampa includes four three-story office buildings that house thousands of the banking giant’s employees.

Radio traffic on Broadcastify.com from officers who responded to the Citibank complex described an exhaustive floor-by-floor search of the complex's buildings. Officers found people sheltering in locked rooms and closets, and carefully escorted them from the buildings and parking garage.

Citigroup said in a statement that it was “aware of an incident” at the complex and was cooperating with authorities.

Doug Merritt said he was startled when his son called him from the Citibank campus, saying he had fled after hearing gunshots.

“He was very close to it,” Merritt told The Associated Press. “He left all this stuff where he was at and he was able to get out of there.”

For around an hour, Merritt said, he didn’t know whether his son was safe as he struggled to get in touch over a bad internet connection.

“I wanted him to get to safety," he said. “I was upset.”

Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. AP journalists Cybele Mayes-Osterman in Chicago, R.J. Rico in Atlanta and Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed to this story.

Law enforcement arrive at the scene of a shooting on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Brandon, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

A person is wheeled out to an ambulance at the scene of a shooting on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Brandon, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

A person is wheeled out to an ambulance at the scene of a shooting on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, in Brandon, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)