National Soccer Hall of Fame Announces Final Ballots for Election to 2027 Class
Player Ballot Includes 9 Candidates in First Year of Eligibility; Voting Committees to Select as Many as 6 Inductees
FRISCO, Texas (Aug. 20, 2026) — The National Soccer Hall of Fame today released the names of the finalists for election to the Class of 2027, including 20 on the Player ballot, 10 on the Veteran ballot and four on the Builder ballot.
The Hall of Fame Voting Committees will meet over the next several weeks and then vote to select a maximum of six new members; as many as three Players and two Veterans can be selected, along with one Builder.
The 2027 Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for April 16 in Frisco.
Player Ballot Finalists
• Ozzie Alonso*
• Jozy Altidore *
• Michael Archer
• Kyle Beckerman
• Matt Besler
• Michael Bradley*
• Stephanie Lopez Cox
• Dwayne DeRosario
• Julie Johnston Ertz*
• Jermaine Jones
• Robbie Keane
• Ali Krieger*
• Samantha Mewis
• Jessica McDonald*
• Oguchi Onyewu
• Megan Rapinoe*
• Amy Rodriguez
• Natalie Russo-Dickey*
• Diego Valeri
• Graham Zusi*
(* First year of eligibility)
Nine finalists — Alonso, Altidore, Bradley, Johnston Ertz, Krieger, McDonald, Rapinoe, Russo-Dickey, and Zusi — last played in 2023 and were selected to the Final Ballot in their first year of eligibility. The other 11 Player finalists return from 2026. Onyewu is in his final year of eligibility in the Player category; if he is not elected, he will move to the Veteran Eligibility List next year.
Veteran Ballot Finalists
• David Beckham
• Chico Borja
• Ken Cooper Sr. ^
• Lorrie Fair
• Francis Farberoff
• Clint Mathis
• Tiffany Roberts
• Homare Sawa
• Tatu
• Aly Wagner
(^ Previously sunsetted candidate, restored to eligibility list for the first time)
Builder Ballot Finalists
• Clive Charles
• Lothar Osiander
• Lincoln Phillips
• Pia Sundhage
Builders are listed in three categories: referees, coaches and contributors. Since the 2022 election, Builder selections have been limited each year to a rotation of the three categories — or to a selection from the full pool of candidates. The 2027 Builder election is open to coaches only.
The two Players, one Veteran and one Builder who receive the most votes and are named on at least 50% of the ballots are automatically elected to the Hall of Fame. A third Player and a second Veteran may be elected if they are named to at least 75% of the ballots.
Complete information about election and eligibility procedures is available at nationalsoccerhof.com. The election process is administered by National Soccer Hall of Fame staff under election and eligibility guidelines established by the Hall of Fame Board of Directors.