Our preview of the USMNT players in action in the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League starts in the qualifying stage. It seems to come as a surprise that the European club competitions have to begin so early to get the qualifiers in, with clubs playing European games that count in early July.
UEFA Champions League qualifying
First round qualifying begins on July 8 and concludes on July 16, with no USMNT players involved in this initial stage of the tournament. Erik Palmer Brown’s Panathinaikos entered in the second qualifying round facing Rangers. Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty’s Celtic joined in the playoff round, the final round of Champions League qualifying.
Palmer-Brown’s Panathinaikos lost 3-1 to Rangers on aggregate and moves to the Europa League.
Carter-Vickers and Trusty’s Celtic dropped to the Europa League league phase after drawing 0-0 on aggregate with Kairat Almaty and exiting 3-2 on penalties.
As it stands, there are five teams with USMNT players that have qualified for the league phase. The switch to a league format from groups began last season, with 24 of the 36 teams in the league phase advancing. The top eight will qualify directly for the round of 16 with the remaining 16 teams playing a knockout round.
USMNT players in the league phase of the Champions League
Weston McKennie (Juventus)
Tim Weah (Juventus)
Folarin Balogun (Monaco)
Timmy Chandler (Eintracht)
Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund)
Sergino Dest (PSV)
Ricardo Pepi (PSV)
Johnny Cardoso (Atletico Madrid)
This list does not account for potential transfers and loans and will be updated should a player move clubs.
Europa League qualifying
It’s a similar story for USMNT players in Europa League qualifying that also begins with the first qualifying round on July 10 and 17th. No USMNT are involved in the first, second, third, and playoff rounds of Europa League qualifying. Tanner Tessmann’s Lyon is in the league phase.
Lyon successfully appealed an administrative relegation over financial issue and remains in Ligue 1. UEFA ruled on July 11 that Crystal Palace would move to the Conference League due to a shared ownership issue with Lyon. Crystal Palace lost its appeal of that decision.
Palmer-Brown’s Panathinaikos dropped to the Europa League after losing in the Champions League qualifiers. Panathinaikos entered the Europa League in the second qualifying round and advanced 5-1 on aggregate over FC Astana. They advanced bast Shakhtar Donetsk 4-3 on penalties after drawing 0-0 on aggregate in round three.
Carter-Vickers and Trusty’s Celtic moved from the Champions League playoff round to the Europa League league phase.
UEFA Conference League qualifying
The UEFA Conference League qualifying schedule matches the Europa League’s, but this time we have a USMNT player involved in the early rounds. Aron Johannsson’s Valur played Estonian club Flora in the first qualifying round on July 10 and 17. Valur advanced to play Kauno Zalgiris in the second qualifying round. Konrad De La Fuente’s Lausanne entered in that round against FK Vardar and Kenny Saief’s Maccabi Haifa played Torpedo Zhodino. Valur lost to Kauno Zalgiris while Lausanne and Maccabi Haifa both advanced to the third round. Maccabi Haifa lost 2-1 on aggregate to Rakow and Lausanne advanced 5-1 on aggregate over FC Astana.
Chris Richards’s Crystal Palace was moved to the league phase after UEFA’s ruling on the club’s shared ownership issue.
