Chris Brady: World Cup profile | USA & Chicago Fire FC goalkeeper | OneFootball

By Cal Meachem

Meet Chris Brady.

Chicago Fire FC's homegrown goalkeeper will represent the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

He is one of three MLS goalkeepers on the USMNT roster, alongside Matt Freese (New York City FC) and Matt Turner (New England Revolution).

MLS background

The 22-year-old took over Chicago's starting goalkeeper job in 2023 and hasn't looked back since.

Last year, he was an integral part of Chicago's best season since 2017 and helped his hometown club return to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.

At age 16, Brady signed his first-team contract in March 2020. He is the club's first homegrown player and academy graduate to be named to a World Cup roster.

Awards & stats

Chicago Fire FC schedule

International experience

Although he's yet to make an appearance for the USMNT, Brady has been in every national team camp since June 2025 and made a positive impression on head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff.

Brady helped the US qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, where he won Golden Glove honors as the tournament’s best goalkeeper after keeping four-straight shutouts in the knockout stage.

World Cup schedule

The United States are in Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye.

The 2026 World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19, has expanded from the usual 32 nations to 48 total.

The top two teams advance from each group, and the top eight third-place finishers also make the knockout phase (Round of 32).

World Cup history

This will be the United States' 12th World Cup appearance and second time hosting the tournament (1994).

The program's best-ever finish came in the inaugural 1930 edition (third place), though their best result of the modern era was a quarterfinal finish in 2002.

How USA qualified

As co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, alongside Canada and Mexico, the US automatically qualified for the tournament.