Nineteen-year-old dual-national defender Noahkai Banks has chosen to represent Germany instead of the United States, marking a significant blow to the USMNT's plans. Germany U-21 manager Antonio Di Salvo announced the decision, noting that Banks and fellow dual-national Louey Ben Farhat had "chosen to represent Germany" after prolonged discussions. Born in Honolulu to an American father and German mother, Banks had previously represented only the US at youth level, including at the U-17 World Cup in 2023, but will now file a one-time switch to play for Germany.

Banks, who has established himself as one of the Bundesliga's top young defenders with FC Augsburg, appeared 23 times for the club last season and has started all four matches this campaign. US coach Mauricio Pochettino called him into senior friendlies against South Korea and Japan in September 2025, though Banks did not feature in either match. ESPN reported that Banks declined a further US camp call-up in March, the final window before the 2026 World Cup, despite being considered an outside possibility for Pochettino's squad amid defensive depth concerns.