U.S. Soccer announced this morning the U.S. U-16 Boys’ National Team roster for the upcoming 2026 Vertex Cup. Republic FC forward Da’vian Kimbrough earned a spot on the 24-man roster as the only player to represent USL Championship and Northern California.
Kimbrough will join the U-16 squad for the round-robin tournament in Miami, Florida from April 12-23. They are scheduled to face off with England on April 16, Mexico on April 19, and Argentina on April 22. The tournament, and associated training camp, are a part of the team’s preparations for the 2027 Concacaf U-17 Qualifiers, which serve as qualification for the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The 16-year-old forward’s most recent international appearance came just weeks ago, when he joined Mexico’s U-16 National Team for the Mondial Football Montaigu, an annual U-16 tournament in France that features the top youth national teams from across the globe.
Earlier this year, Kimbrough made his first professional start in the First Team’s 2-0 U.S. Open Cup win on March 18. He featured in the starting lineup alongside fellow homegrown teammates Blake Willey and Chibi Ukaegbu, shining a spotlight on Republic FC’s youth development pipeline on the stage of America’s National Soccer Championship.
Three more academy players have gone on to make their First Team debut this season, a testament to the club’s longstanding success as the region’s only youth-to-pro pathway. Since 2015, Republic FC’s Academy has created a strong, local pipeline of youth players ready for professional level competition, as well as Division I collegiate programs. Later this month, local players born 2008-2015 will have the opportunity to join the Indomitable Club at Academy Tryouts. More information is available at SacRepublicFC.com/Academy.
Republic FC is back in action on the road this Saturday against Las Vegas Lights. Kickoff from Cashman Field is at 7:30 p.m. and the match will be broadcast on FOX40, the FOX40+ streaming app, and ESPN+.
The club returns to Heart Health Park on Tuesday, April 14, hosting MLS side Minnesota United in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are on sale now at SacRepublicFC.com/tickets. Fans are encouraged to secure their seats early as this match is expected to sell out.
