The U.S. under-16 boys national team is training in West Palm Beach, Florida, where Coach Alex Aldaz has brought in 24 players.

• Makeup: The group consists of all 2009s, who will form the core of the group that will compete at the 2026 Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers and 2026 U-17 World Cup, now an annual event. They’re also eligible for the 2026 U-17 World Cup. Three players have moved from California cities (Bakersfield, Merced and Salinas) to MLS academies in other parts of the country.

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Paul Kennedy edited Soccer America for 41 years (1985-2026). He began writing for SA in 1974. He started writing for France Football in 1978 and has served on in Ballon d'Or jury since 2007.