UC Davis alum Max Arfsten of the United States drives a ball during an international friendly match between United States and Ecuador at Q2 Stadium on October 10, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Credit: Omar Vega/Getty Images)

Thirty-two years after the World Cup took the United States by storm, the world’s single biggest athletic tournament is back — and of course, it wouldn’t be complete without players from UC.

This year’s U.S. men’s national team features UC Davis soccer alumnus and Fresno native Max Arfsten. A defender, Arfsten plays professionally for Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew. Most professional players get their talents nourished in soccer academies run by top teams from a young age. Arfsten nurtured his self-belief on the fields of local parks in Fresno.

Making his return to Southern California as a member of the New Zealand national team will be Michael Boxall, one of the most accomplished players in UC Santa Barbara men’s soccer history.

A blast from the past

UC programs have turned out a number of professional and national men’s players over the years, including several members of the 1994 U.S. World Cup team. Former U.S. men’s star and UCLA Bruin Cobi Jones is an official L.A. World Cup 2026 Community Ambassador and will be offering color commentary on several matches for Fox Sports. Jones is a legend of the U.S. men’s national team and of UCLA, holding the all-time appearances record for the U.S. and the Bruins’ single-season record for assists.

Read their stories and more from the UC Newsroom

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