Matt Turner isn’t starting lately because he’s lost his spot as the U.S. men’s national team’s No. 1 goalkeeper amid a stretch of limited club minutes and strong competition—especially from Matt Freese.

What changed for Turner?

Club playing time dipped

  • After moving to Europe (Arsenal → Nottingham Forest → Crystal Palace → Lyon), Turner logged very few competitive matches over multiple seasons.
  • At Crystal Palace, he had just four appearances this season (one League Cup, three FA Cup) and hadn’t played since March 1 at club level and March 23 for the USMNT.
  • In May 2025, Mauricio Pochettino explicitly said Turner’s starting job wasn’t assured and that “it’s open for another player maybe to challenge,” citing his lack of recent game time.

Returned to MLS for stability

  • To get consistent minutes, Turner went back to the New England Revolution on loan from Lyon in 2025.
  • His MLS form improved late in the season, even ranking among the league’s better keepers statistically, but coach Pochettino still left him out of the September and November 2025 USMNT squads.
  • By January 2026, Turner acknowledged he has a “clear pathway” back but that his World Cup spot is not guaranteed and hinges on patience and sustained play.

Why he was benched (or dropped) recently

  • Coaching priority: Pochettino has favored keepers who are playing weekly at their clubs. Turner’s long gaps without competitive matches made him vulnerable.
  • Rise of Matt Freese: Freese’s emergence at NYCFC pushed Turner from presumed 2026 World Cup starter to “on the bubble” for even making the roster.
  • Form vs. rhythm: Even when Turner performs well in MLS, the long stretches without high-level club action hurt his case compared to rivals in Europe.

Recent context and where things stand

  • Turner’s last USMNT start was a 4–0 friendly loss to Switzerland in mid-June 2025.
  • Into early 2026, reports still framed him as fighting to reclaim the No. 1 role, not locked in.
  • Turner has said he’s not content just making the roster; he wants to win back the starting job, but he recognizes the competition is intense.

Bottom line: He’s not starting because the coaching staff wants a goalkeeper with steady, recent club minutes—and right now, Turner’s résumé shows extended periods without that, while competitors (especially Freese) have been playing regularly.

TL;DR: Limited club game time + strong competition (Freese) = Turner benched/dropped despite solid MLS spells.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.