Greenville, S.C. – Furman men's soccer centerback Braden Dunham has been named to the United States U-19 National Team for the 2026 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Puebla and Mexico City, Mexico, it was announced on Thursday by the United States Soccer Federation.
 
Dunham, a rising sophomore who guided the Paladins to the NCAA College Cup in December, is the lone collegiate player named to head coach Gonzalo Segares' roster, which will report to Salt Lake City, Utah, for camp on July 17 before travelling to Mexico to begin group play versus Haiti on July 25. Group A play continues July 28 versus El Salvador before facing Cuba on July 31. All three matches will air live at 9 p.m. ET on FS2. The top two teams in each group, as well as the two best third-place teams, will advance to the all-important quarterfinals from August 4-5 in Puebla. The winners of those matches will qualify for the 2027 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan as well as the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru. 
 
The competition will shift to the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City for the semifinals on August 7, before the famed venue hosts the final on August 9. The tournament winner will also qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics, but should the U.S. win the tournament, the Olympic berth will be awarded to the runner-up.
"We're incredibly proud of Braden and this well-deserved opportunity to represent the United States," said Paladin head coach Brandon Tucker. "Being selected for the U-20 World Cup Qualifying roster is a tremendous accomplishment and a reflection of his talent, work ethic, and character. Since arriving at Furman, Braden has embraced every challenge with humility and an unwavering commitment to improving each day, and this recognition is a testament to the work he's put in both on and off the field. It's especially meaningful to see Braden join the distinguished group of Furman players who have represented their countries during the U-20 World Cup qualifying stage. That tradition speaks to the caliber of student-athletes our program has developed over the years, and we're excited to see Braden add his name to that legacy. On behalf of our entire program, we're thrilled for Braden and his family. We know he'll represent Furman University, his teammates, and the United States with tremendous pride, and we'll all be cheering him on throughout the qualifying campaign."
This past season, Dunham netted seven goals to help lead Furman to a 16-2-5 record, the SoCon regular season and tournament titles, and the school's first trip to the NCAA Men's College Cup. The Peachtree City, Ga., native and Atlanta United FC product, who scored a thrilling goal from 40 yards out to propel Furman past No 8 seed Portland in the NCAA quarterfinals, earned SoCon Freshman of the Year honors and was selected to the All-NCAA College Cup Team. Dunham also garnered United Soccer Coaches All-Freshman honors and Top Drawer Soccer Best XI Freshman accolades after helping the Paladins to a final No. 3 national ranking. He earned his first callup to the U.S. U-19 team in March for training camp in Spain.
2026 CONCACAF U-20 MEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN)
 
Goalkeepers (3): William Lodmell (Sporting Lisbon/POR; Lisbon, Portugal), Lucas McPartlin (St. Louis City SC; St. Louis, Mo.), Kayne Rizvanovich (Minnesota United FC; Mettawa, III.)
 
Defenders (7): Chris Applewhite (Nashville SC; Waldorf, Md.), Tristan Brown (Columbus Crew; Novi, Mich.) Christopher Cupps (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, III.), Brandon Dayes (Louisville City FC; Louisville, KY.), Braden Dunham (Furman University; Peachtree City, Ga.), Javaun Mussenden (New England Revolution; Dallas, Ga.), Joshua Torquato (FC Dallas; Aubrey, Texas)
 
Midfielders (5): Colin Guske (Orlando City SC; Saint Johns, Fla.), Santiago Morales (Inter Miami CF; Weston, Fla.), Cooper Sanchez (Atlanta United FC; Holly Springs, Ga.), Alex Shaw (Inter Miami CF; Pembroke Pines, FL.), Dylan Vanney (LA Galaxy; Redondo Beach, Calif.)
 
Forwards (6): Nimfasha Berchimas (Charlotte FC; High Point, N.C.), Jaidyn Contreras (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Din Klapija (RB Leipzig; New York City, N.Y.), Xanti Oyharçabal (Athletic Bilbao/ESP; Hendaye, France), Ruben Ramos Jr. (LA Galaxy; La Puente, Calif.), Colton Swan (Charleston Battery; Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Additionally, Noah Santos (Portland Timbers) will join the team as a training player during pre-camp in Salt Lake City.
 

2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship Groups
Group A	Group B	Group C
USA	Mexico	Honduras
Haiti	Guatemala	Panama
El Salvador	Costa Rica	Canada
Cuba	Antigua and Barbuda	Jamaica

 
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