Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards is facing an anxious wait over his involvement in this summer's World Cup after Palace manager Oliver Glasner confirmed on Thursday that the American international has torn two ligaments in his ankle.

The 26-year-old was introduced as a substitute during Palace's Premier League fixture against Brentford last weekend, but came through in clear discomfort. Glasner pulled no punches when addressing the media on Thursday, revealing the full extent of the damage.

"He tore two ligaments in his ankle," Glasner said. "I think it's stable, but quite swollen, and we have to deal with the swelling. He has to get back on the pitch to be available, and it takes time."

A race against time on multiple fronts

Richards now faces the prospect of missing Palace's final Premier League match against Arsenal on Sunday, and Glasner put his chances of featuring in the Europa Conference League final at "50/50". Palace meet Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on Wednesday — a landmark occasion for the club, who have not reached a European final in 27 years.

Beyond the club situation, the injury arrives at the worst possible moment for the United States men's national team. The World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, begins in three weeks, with head coach Mauricio Pochettino scheduled to name his squad on 26 May. The USA open their group-stage campaign against Paraguay on 12 June in Los Angeles.

Richards has been one of the few certainties in Pochettino's defensive planning. He has earned 13 caps since the start of 2025, was named the programme's men's player of the year in January, and has logged 2,827 league minutes for Palace this season across 45 starts in all competitions. Losing him — or having him arrive in camp underprepared — would be a significant blow.

Thin options at centre-back

The depth chart behind Richards gives genuine cause for concern. Pochettino has only handed four centre-backs at least 500 minutes across his 24 matches in charge, with Tim Ream, Miles Robinson and Mark McKenzie the other established names. Auston Trusty drew praise from the manager after an 89-minute showing against Portugal in March's international window, but the position remains the most fragile area of the squad.

There is also a waiting game around Augsburg's Noahkai Banks, a 19-year-old who has represented the United States at youth level but is yet to commit internationally, with Germany also an option for the Hawaiian-born defender. Banks has not debuted for either senior programme, and any decision would come with limited preparation time.

The severity of Richards' injury is not yet fully established. Medical guidance on torn ankle ligaments varies considerably depending on grade: a minor tear can resolve in a couple of weeks, while a more significant grade two injury typically requires four to six weeks, and a grade three can demand surgery with a recovery timeline stretching to three months. Glasner's emphasis on the swelling suggests the injury is not straightforward.

Glasner remains cautiously hopeful

The Palace manager was not entirely without hope, indicating that Richards is receiving intensive treatment. "He is in from sunrise until sunset having treatments," Glasner said, "and of course we have a great medical department, so we will give our best and he will give his best — and then let's see if we can get it done."

Even in an optimistic scenario, Richards was likely to join the USA camp slightly later than most players given Palace's Conference League commitments. The Americans play pre-tournament friendlies against Senegal on 31 May and Germany on 6 June, so the hope will be that he can at least feature in those warm-up games before the tournament begins in earnest.

For now, both club and country will be monitoring his recovery closely over the coming days.

Frequently asked

How serious is Chris Richards' ankle injury?
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed Richards tore two ligaments in his ankle. The injury is described as stable but significantly swollen. Depending on the grade of the tear, recovery can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months, so the full picture will become clearer as swelling reduces.
Will Chris Richards play at the 2026 World Cup?
It is uncertain. Pochettino names his squad on 26 May, and the USA open against Paraguay on 12 June. Richards is receiving intensive treatment and is in a race against time, but with two torn ligaments and significant swelling, his involvement — especially early in the tournament — is far from guaranteed.
Who would replace Chris Richards in the USA squad?
Mauricio Pochettino's other established centre-backs include Tim Ream, Miles Robinson, Mark McKenzie and Auston Trusty. There is also interest in Noahkai Banks, an Augsburg defender who has yet to commit to either the USA or Germany at senior level.