Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards has made a remarkable recovery from an ankle injury to feature in the UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano, providing a major boost to both his club and the U.S. Men's National Team ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The 26-year-old center back was named to the bench for Wednesday's final in Leipzig, overcoming an ankle injury that had caused concern in the weeks leading up to the tournament. Richards sustained two torn ligaments in his left ankle during Palace's penultimate Premier League game of the season, a 2-2 draw with Brentford on May 17.

Manager Oliver Glasner confirmed the extent of the injury in a press conference last week, stating: "He tore two ligaments in his ankle. 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."

Despite the injury concern, Richards was included in the USMNT's 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup. The former Bayern Munich man submitted a video for the roster reveal from London while continuing his recovery with Palace. He was the only member of this year's squad not present at Tuesday's event due to still being with his club preparing for the final.

Richards was not named in Palace's final Premier League game of the season — a 2-1 home defeat to champions Arsenal last Sunday — but was seen at an open training session with his teammates in Germany on Tuesday, signaling his readiness to return.

The Athletic reported on May 21 that Richards was not expected to miss the World Cup despite his ankle injury, and assuming there are no setbacks from Wednesday's final, he will join up with the USMNT squad later this week at the new national training center in Georgia.

Richards is a vital member of the U.S. defense as they prepare to open their World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 12, followed by group-stage games against Australia on June 19 and Turkey on June 25. The USMNT will play pre-tournament friendlies against Senegal on May 31 and Germany on June 6 to fine-tune their preparations.