Chris Richards has two torn ligaments in his left ankle, and the Crystal Palace defender is now in doubt for the 2026 World Cup after a hard collision in last weekend’s 2–2 draw with Brentford.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner said on Thursday that the 26-year-old, who has 36 caps for the United States, remains swollen but stable. Richards was hurt in the 77th minute, received treatment on the field and finished the match uncomfortably before needing assistance at the final whistle and limping off without putting significant weight on the ankle.
The injury is a blow that lands at the worst possible time. Richards had been viewed as a lock for the United States’ 26-man squad due to be unveiled in New York City on Tuesday, and he had also become a key part of Mauricio Pochettino’s three- and four-man backlines. For the U.S. staff, the question is no longer whether he was included. It is whether he can be ready to matter when the World Cup arrives.
Glasner said the club’s medical staff is trying to cut down the swelling and give Richards every chance to recover. “I think it’s stable, but quite swollen, and we have to deal with the swelling,” he said. He added that Richards “has to get back on the pitch to be available, and it takes time,” and said the defender is spending his days in treatment from sunrise until sunset.
That leaves Crystal Palace facing its own uncertainty as well. The club is scheduled to play Spain’s Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Europa Conference League final on Wednesday, and Richards’ availability for that match is also in question. Palace will need to make plans without assuming he can answer either call soon. For a player who had been central to both his club and country, the next stretch of recovery may decide how much of the summer he gets to play at all.
