USMNT's Richards diagnosed with ankle ligament injury ahead of WC

Chris Richards USMNT

U.S. Men's National Team defender Chris Richards is facing a race against time to be ready for the upcoming Conference League final, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner revealed on Thursday. The American defender suffered an ankle injury in a recent match against Brentford, and that injury could impact World Cup preparation for the U.S. men's national team star.

Chris Richards Crystal Palace 2025-26

What happened?

The Crystal Palace center back suffered an ankle injury this past weekend, with Palace diagnosing that injury as two torn ligaments. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Glasner ruled Richards out for the club's final Premier League match, a visit from champions Arsenal, while saying that it remains to be seen if the American will be ready in time for the Conference League final.

In that final, Palace will face Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig in what will be the club's first-ever chance to claim a European trophy.

Oliver Glasner Crystal Palace 2025-26

What was said

For now, Richards’ availability comes down to how quickly the swelling subsides, with Glasner saying Palace are doing everything possible to give him a chance.

“Chris will miss the Arsenal game as well, and it’s now 50/50 for him and for us if he can play in the final in Leipzig," Glasner said. “He tore two ligaments in his ankle. I think it’s stable, but quite swollen, and we have to deal with the swelling. He has to get back on the pitch to be available, and it takes time.

“He is in from sunrise until sunset having treatments and everything we can do that reduces the swelling, and, of course, we have a great medical department, so we will give our best, and he will give his best – and then let’s see if we can get it done.”

Mauricio Pochettino

The USMNT angle

Any serious injury to Richards would be a backbreaker to the USMNT, with the defender one of the few solidified players in Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI. Since the Argentine took over, Richards has emerged as one of the team's most important figures, both as a defensive presence and as a leader in the locker room and on the field.

Fortunately, Richards does have time to recover, even if he does miss out on the final matches of Palace's season. The USMNT will play two friendlies ahead of the tournament, with the first coming on May 31 against Senegal before a clash with Germany on June 6. The U.S. will then kick off the tournament against Paraguay on June 12, giving Richards a total of 27 days between suffering the injury and the team's first World Cup game.

Chris Richards USMNT

What comes next?

Pochettino will announce his USMNT squad on Tuesday, May 26, with players set to report to Atlanta the next day for the start of pre-World Cup camp. Richards would not be expected to report to camp until after the Conference League final, which is set for May 27.