Max Arfsten from Fresno named to U.S. roster for World Cup. ‘Dream come true’
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Max Arfsten, former San Joaquin Memorial standout, earned an MLS All-Star Game spot.
- Arfsten was among players selected Tuesday to the U.S. men's national team roster.
- The U.S. opens World Cup play June 12 at SoFi Stadium vs. Paraguay.
Former San Joaquin Memorial High School standout Max Arfsten has already experienced the bright lights of Major League Soccer’s biggest showcase.
As a member of Columbus Crew, Arfsten earned a spot in the MLS All-Star Game, calling the experience in Austin “awesome” as he shared the field with some of the league’s top talent.
Now, the Fresno native is one step closer to an even bigger dream.
Arfsten was among the 26 players selected Tuesday for the United States Men’s National Team roster for the World Cup, a major milestone for the former standout from the central San Joaquin Valley whose soccer journey has taken an unconventional path from Fresno to UC Davis and eventually MLS.
The World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19 across host nations United States, Canada and Mexico, with Arfsten one of 10 defenders on the U.S. roster.
The U.S. will play four friendlies over the next few weeks before opening World Cup play against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on June 12.
Before learning he had officially made the national team roster, Arfsten spoke to The Bee in December during a ceremony at Logan Park in Fresno, where the city honored his rise through the soccer ranks.
“Right now I’m playing with Columbus Crew in MLS,” Arfsten said at the time. “It’s going to be my fourth season there. I played college soccer at UC Davis, and this year I was involved with the national team starting in January. I made every camp this year in 2025, so hopefully I continue to be involved with the national team in 2026. It’s God’s plan, really.”
Despite the rapid rise, Arfsten said he never focused on outside expectations.
“I feel like maybe I’ve done better than a lot of people thought I was going to do because my journey’s been a bit different than most people in MLS,” Arfsten said. “But for myself personally, I don’t really think about it that way. I just kind of try to do my best at every level, and we see what happens.”
The possibility of representing the United States on soccer’s biggest stage has now become reality.
“For myself personally, I think I just got to keep working hard and taking care of business with my club team in Columbus,” Arfsten said. “Perform every single day.”
While many players might feel pressure competing for a World Cup roster spot, Arfsten said he has tried to stay grounded.
“There’s definitely a lot of anticipation because I want to make the team,” he said. “But I try not to put pressure on myself honestly. I just try to control what I can and do the best I can in every facet of the game.”
Now, the opportunity to wear the red, white and blue on soccer’s biggest stage is within reach.
“Dream come true for me,” Arfsten said. “Most definitely, no doubt about it. That’s definitely what I’m striving for, and I’m going to do everything I can to make it happen.”
