Frisco, Texas (January 5, 2023) – FC Dallas forward Bernard Kamungo and defender Nkosi Tafari have been called up to the U.S. Men’s National Team January Camp that will be held in Orlando, FL from January 8-16, 2024. This is both Kamungo and Tafari’s first-ever Senior USMNT call-up.
Kamungo, 22, placed No.19 in Major League Soccer’s 2023 22 Under 22 list which honors the best young players in the league. Kamungo featured in 16 MLS regular season matches for Dallas, scoring six goals and led all MLS players with at least six goals in goals/90 minutes (1.1). Kamungo played in all four Leagues Cup games, scoring the opening goal against Charlotte FC and the second goal against Inter Miami CF in the Round of 16 match. In his first MLS Cup Playoff start, Kamungo assisted Dallas’ first goal scored by Paul Arriola in FC Dallas’ 3-1 home win against the Seattle Sounders on November 4.
Kamungo made his United States debut on October 11, 2023, where he assisted the game-winning goal in the 90th minute against Mexico. Kamungo assisted the United States’ second goal in the United States’ 4-1 win against Japan on October 17. Kamungo also featured in friendlies against Iraq and Morocco in November 2023 in San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain.
MLS NEXT Pro side North Texas SC signed Kamungo on March 25, 2021 after he attended an open tryout. After playing 52 matches with North Texas SC, where he scored 22 goals and seven assists, Kamungo signed a four-year contract with FC Dallas on August 30, 2022. Kamungo, who was born in Kasulu, Tanzania, moved to the United States as a 14-year-old refugee with his family in 2016 and settled in Abilene, Texas. Kamungo became a U.S. citizen on May 24, 2022, making him eligible to represent the United States.
Tafari, 26, earns his first United States Men’s National Team call up after a breakout 2023 season, playing a career-high 37 games across all competitions during the campaign, starting 33 regular season matches and all three playoff features. Tafari anchored one of the best defenses in MLS, allowing the third fewest goals in the regular season (40), and ranking third in GAA (1.00). The Manhattan, NY native recorded three goals and four assists in the 2023 regular season. Tafari was honored twice as MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 15 and Matchday 28.Tafari was the 14th overall pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft and featured for North Texas SC eight times, scoring his first professional goal on October 7, 2020.
Kamungo and Tafari are two of the 25 MLS-based players to be called into the camp.The training camp will run from Jan. 8-16 in Orlando before the USMNT faces Slovenia on Saturday, January 20 at Toyota Field in San Antonio, Texas (TNT, Telemundo, Universo, Max and Peacock. Live Spanish-language audio for the match will be available on Fútbol de Primera Radio Network.)
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club/Country; Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Drake Callender (Inter Miami; 0/0), Roman Celentano (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (10): Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), DeJuan Jones (New England Revolution; 7/0), Shaq Moore (Nashville SC; 17/1), Ian Murphy (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Jackson Ragen (Seattle Sounders; 0/0), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati; 27/3), James Sands (New York City FC; 13/0), Nkosi Tafari (FC Dallas; 0/0), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; 3/0), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United; 1/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Joshua Atencio (Seattle Sounders; 0/0), Aziel Jackson (St. Louis City; 0/0), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; 4/0), Timmy Tillman (LAFC; 0/0), Sean Zawadzki (Columbus Crew; 0/0)
FORWARDS (6): Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution; 0/0), Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes; 8/1), Bernard Kamungo (FC Dallas; 0/0), Diego Luna (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Duncan McGuire (Orlando City; 0/0), Brian White (Vancouver Whitecaps/CAN; 0/0)
