A cloud of concern hangs over the U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) as defender Cameron Carter-Vickers faces a significant setback in his preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 27-year-old center-back sustained an Achilles injury while playing for his club, Celtic, in a Europa League match against Sturm Graz.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers announced on Friday that Carter-Vickers is expected to be out for three to five months. This timeline puts his potential return as late as March, a mere three months before the start of the 2026 World Cup, casting doubt on his readiness for the tournament.

Carter-Vickers felt the injury during Celtic's 2-1 victory over Sturm Graz on Thursday night. Rodgers expressed his frustration, noting that he would have substituted Carter-Vickers earlier, but he had already used all but one of his substitution opportunities due to other injuries during the game. "We wanted to take off Cameron but we could only make one substitution in the second half. Ideally we would have taken him off," Rodgers said.

The injury is a blow to both Celtic and the USMNT. Rodgers acknowledged Carter-Vickers' importance to Celtic, stating, "Cameron's been a very important part of the squad, of course, and been a great center half for the club". For the USMNT, this could mean a reshuffling of the defensive lineup ahead of crucial preparation matches and, potentially, the World Cup itself.

Carter-Vickers's injury also means he will miss upcoming international friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay in November. He had been called up for the October friendlies against Ecuador and Australia but did not play. His last appearance for the USMNT was in the Concacaf Nations League third-place game against Canada.

The USMNT's next competitive match is scheduled for June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, marking their World Cup opener. Whether Carter-Vickers will be fit and ready to participate remains uncertain.

While Carter-Vickers recovers, other players may have the opportunity to step up and prove their worth. Auston Trusty, another U.S. international, is a potential candidate to fill the void left by Carter-Vickers.

The USMNT's annual January training camp, a tradition, will not take place in 2026 ahead of the summer's World Cup.