Orange County SC center back Tyson Espy has been selected to the United States Under-18 Men’s National Team for its international training camp from November 9-18 in Santarém, Portugal, under head coach Ben Cross.
This marks Espy’s 13th call-up to the U.S. Youth National Team program across all levels and his first at the U-18 level, representing a promotion from the U-17 cycle. He has been a consistent presence in USYNT camps at the U-15, U-16, and U-17 levels. His most recent prior call-ups include the U-17 camp in Paraguay in March and the Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers in February, where he helped the United States secure a record 20th berth to the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. As of March 2026, Espy had earned five caps with the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team (including three appearances in the Concacaf qualifiers, with two starts) along with additional caps at the U-15 and U-16 levels.
During the Portugal camp, the U.S. will face Norway on Sunday, November 15 (3 p.m. ET) at Estádio Municipal Dr. Alves Vieira and host Portugal on Tuesday, November 17 (1 p.m. ET) at Campo Chã das Padeiras. This is the fourth U-18 camp of the year and the first for the 2009 birth-year group. All players on the roster were born on or after January 1, 2009.
The 20-player roster features players from 17 clubs, including 12 from 10 MLS clubs. Houston Dynamo FC, Inter Miami CF, and Real Salt Lake lead with two selections each. Four players come from European clubs and one from Brazilian side Flamengo, while USL Championship clubs El Paso Locomotive FC and Orange County SC are each represented by one player.
Espy played a key role in the U-17s’ qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup. He started and anchored the defense in an 8-0 clean-sheet win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines, appeared in all three group matches, and came off the bench in the final group-stage match against the Dominican Republic to help the U.S. preserve a 1-1 draw and clinch advancement. He has previously earned call-ups for camps in Dubai (where he made three appearances and two starts), a domestic identity camp, and earlier cycles with the U-15s and U-16s, including tournament wins in Portugal and Croatia. He scored his first international goal in a November 2024 draw against Mexico.
The Dana Point native and first Irvine-born player to sign a professional contract with Orange County SC continues to progress through the club’s Next Wave pathway. His selection at the U-18 level further highlights OCSC’s reputation for developing elite young American talent.
Follow Orange County SC on our social channels for updates and results from the camp. #ForCounty #NextWave