Christian Pulisic Injury Update: Will the USMNT Star Feature Against Australia?

Christian Pulisic's Availability for USMNT's Match Against Australia

The U.S. men’s national team trained on Wednesday in Irvine, California, preparing for their next World Cup match against Australia in Seattle this Friday afternoon. Christian Pulisic, however, has remained a question mark, described repeatedly as "day to day" regarding his fitness.

A U.S. Soccer spokesperson confirmed Pulisic participated in a "modified training session," focusing on his gradual return while the rest of the squad prepared fully for the upcoming game. The star attacker missed several full-team sessions this week due to an injury sustained during the opening match versus Paraguay. He took a hit that aggravated an existing left calf issue, prompting coach Mauricio Pochettino to substitute him at halftime for Sebastian Berhalter as a precaution.

Despite Pulisic not joining the full squad less than three days before kickoff, some teammates remained optimistic. Midfielder Tyler Adams urged calm, saying, "Christian will be ready, everyone. Let’s relax. I think he picked up a knock a few days before the match and got kicked in the same spot again during the match."

Pulisic himself told FOX Sports after the 4-1 victory over Paraguay, "I just got a bit of a kick in the first half. I’m really hoping that it’s nothing... Taking a little bit of precaution today, but I’m hoping I’ll be fine in the next few days."

Details About Pulisic's Injury

The problem centers on his left calf, which was already a concern prior to the Paraguay match. U.S. Soccer has not disclosed the severity beyond confirming it was a pre-existing condition. Pulisic has a history of injuries, including 56 days out during the 2025–26 season with AC Milan due to various ailments. This season alone, he missed over three weeks combined because of a thigh and glute strain plus bursitis in his hip. Soft-tissue issues have been a recurring theme in his career.

On Monday, coach Pochettino noted Pulisic was "good" for a brief moment in training before leaving early. On Tuesday, teammate Tim Weah expressed confidence: "I think he’ll be ready for the game and ready to be with the team, so just praying to God he feels 100% fit. He’ll be needed."

When Could Pulisic Return to Full Action?

No official timeline exists for Pulisic’s full recovery yet. There remains a chance he could play and even start on Friday, but confirmation awaits Thursday's press briefing with Pochettino. Reports from The Athletic describe Pulisic performing single-leg jumps during a limited training period before retreating to the gym while the rest of the squad continued practice.

On Wednesday, Pulisic worked separately with two trainers while 25 other players engaged in a full session. If he cannot feature against Australia, the next opportunity to see him might be in the final Group D match versus Türkiye on June 28 at SoFi Stadium, where the USMNT began their tournament run.