What is a cap in soccer? Is it important? Explaining the milestone Cavan Sullivan, USMNT newcomers are chasing this weekend

Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan reacts during the game between the Philadelphia Union and CF Montreal on Sept. 5 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa. (Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) The latest United States men's national team roster includes 13 players who have never played for the senior national team.

>If any of them take the field during the Americans' upcoming soccer games against Peru, Chile, Mexico or Canada, they will earn their first international "cap."

>But what exactly does that mean?

>Here's everything you need to know about caps, how players earn them and why they matter.

What is a cap in soccer?A cap is an appearance for a player's national team.

>It doesn't matter whether the player starts or enters as a substitute. Once the player takes the field in an officially recognized international match, the appearance counts toward their career total.

>Being selected for the roster, attending training camp or sitting on the bench does not count as a cap.

>That means Cavan Sullivan and the other first-time call-ups on the USMNT roster this fall must actually enter one of the four upcoming matches to earn their first caps.

Why do they call it a cap?The term "cap" dates to the early history of international soccer, when players were presented with physical caps to commemorate appearances for their countries.

>National teams generally no longer hand out a hat after every match, but the term has endured.

>A player with 50 caps, for example, has appeared in 50 senior international matches.

Which USMNT players could earn their first caps?Thirteen players on USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino's 28-man roster have never appeared for the senior national team.

Goalkeepers: Diego Kochen and Brian Schwake • >Defenders: Peyton Miller, Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield • >Midfielders: Mathis Albert, Zavier Gozo, Adri Mehmeti and Brooklyn Raines • >Forwards: Cole Campbell, Justin Ellis, Julian Hall and Cavan SullivanThe group's average age is 19 years and 6 months, according to U.S. Soccer.

>Five of the newcomers participated in the 2025 Under-20 World Cup, while Albert, Hall, and Sullivan played in the Under-17 World Cup.

Does a friendly count as a cap?Yes. Players can earn caps in friendlies - international exhibitions - as well as competitive matches such as the World Cup, Gold Cup, Copa America and Concacaf Nations League.

>All four of the USMNT's upcoming games are friendlies, but appearances in them will still be recorded in each player's official national-team statistics.

Does earning a cap lock a player into that country?Not necessarily.

>Playing a friendly for a particular country doesn't permanently tie a player to represent that nation going forward.

>Appearances in major competitions, such as the World Cup, hold more significance and can "cap-tie" a player to a national team.

>Even then, the decision is not necessarily irreversible. FIFA allows certain dual-national players to request a one-time change of national association if they meet specific requirements. Depending on the player's circumstances, those conditions can include:

Holding the new country's nationality when they first represented their original country • >Playing no more than three senior matches for the original country • >Being younger than 21 during their last senior appearance for the original country • >Waiting at least three years after their last senior appearance for the original country • >Never appearing in a World Cup or senior confederation championship for the original countryPlayers who competed only at the youth level may also be able to change countries, provided they were already eligible for the new national team or satisfy another path under FIFA's rules.

What does it mean to be cap-tied?A player is cap-tied when an appearance for one national team restricts or prevents them from representing another.

>A cap records that a player appeared for a national team. Being cap-tied determines whether they can still play for another one.

Who has the most caps on the current USMNT roster?Tyler Adams and Antonee Robinson enter the international window as the roster's most experienced players with 58 caps apiece.

When are the next USMNT games?The USMNT will play four friendlies during the September-October international window:

USMNT vs. Peru: Sept. 26 at 4:30 p.m. ET, Inter.co Stadium in Orlando, Fla. (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock) • >USMNT vs. Chile: Sept. 29 at 8 p.m. ET, Energizer Park in St. Louis (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, and Peacock) • >USMNT vs. Mexico: Oct. 3 at 10 p.m. ET, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz. (TNT, HBO Max, Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock) • >USMNT vs. Canada: Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. ET, Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minn. (TNT, truTV, HBO Max, Universo, and Peacock)SubscribeThere’s more to Albany with the Times Union. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at What is a cap in soccer? Is it important? Explaining the milestone Cavan Sullivan, USMNT newcomers are chasing this weekend.