Overview
- The coach framed the March window in Atlanta against Belgium (March 28) and Portugal (March 31) as the start of preparations, followed by Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6 before the World Cup opener vs. Paraguay on June 12.
- He will name a 26‑player World Cup roster in late May, making the March and early‑June friendlies key evaluation stages.
- Players not fully fit will not be called in for March, a standard that affects Tyler Adams (knee), Cameron Carter‑Vickers (Achilles surgery) and Ricardo Pepi (broken forearm).
- After reviewing roughly 70 players over about 16 months, Pochettino said the pool is largely settled and final choices will reward form, fitness and a team‑first profile.
- Pochettino asked players to steer clear of public commentary on ticket pricing as FIFA lists seats up to $8,680 and reports more than 500 million requests; he also confirmed Alex Freeman consulted him before moving to Villarreal and said Pepi’s readiness will be assessed on his return, with Premier League interest reported.