FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Former Fairfield University goalkeeper Matt Turner will once again represent his country on the pitch, beginning with the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (USMNT) playing Paraguay on Friday night in the group stage opener of FIFA World Cup 2026. The match will be played in Los Angeles with a 9 pm (EDT) start.

"Matt's journey is an incredible point of pride for our program and a powerful example for every player who puts on a Fairfield jersey," Fairfield Head Coach Krystian Witkowski said. "What he's achieved on the world stage is a reflection of his work ethic, resilience, and belief in his own path—qualities that started here and continue to define him today. For our current team, seeing one of our own compete at the highest level in the game reinforces that their goals are possible, and that the standards we set every day truly matter. We'll all be watching with a lot of pride as he represents both our country and Fairfield University."

Turner's international experience includes 54 caps and 27 clean sheets, setting a USMNT record with 13 caps in 2021. He made a penalty save in his debut which came in friendly against Trinidad and Tobago that year.

At the FIFA World Cup 2022, he earned a pair of clean sheets to become the first USMNT goalkeeper with multiple World Cup shutouts since 1930. He earned those results with a 0-0 draw against England and a 1-0 win over Iran. He earned the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup Best Goalkeeper after posting five clean sheets in six appearances, anchoring the USMNT's tournament victory.

More recently, Turner helped Crystal Palace win the 2025 FA Cup as the team's starting goalkeeper. He spent three seasons in the English Premier League with Arsenal (2022-23), Nottingham Forest (2023-24), and Crystal Palace (2024-25).

Before his international success, Turner served as the starting goalkeeper for the Fairfield University men's soccer team. He left his mark as the program's all-time leader with a .077 goals against average and shares the top spot in school annals with 20 clean sheets. He set a Fairfield single-season record with 13 shutouts in 2013, and led the nation with a .886 save percentage. His 0.50 goals against average placed him third nationally. He was inducted into the Fairfield University Athletic Hall of Fame this year.

The USMNT World Cup 2026 schedule continues play in the group stage play on June 19 with a match against Australia in Seattle (3 pm EDT). The group stage comes to a close out on June 25 when the USMNT plays Turkey in Los Angeles on June 25 at 10 pm (EDT).