Sporting KC II midfielder Johann Ortiz called up to El Salvador U-20s for 2026 Concacaf U-20 Qualifiers

Sporting Kansas City II midfielder Johann Ortiz has been called up to the El Salvador U-20 Men's National Team for the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Qualifiers from Feb. 23 to March 4, 2026. El Salvador was drawn into Group A and will play at Estadio Miguel Chocorrón Buitrago in Managua, Nicaragua.

El Salvador will play five group stage matches between Feb. 23 and March 4 with the winner of the group earning a spot in the 2026 Concacaf U-20 Championship set to take place this summer. The games can be streamed on the Concacaf YouTube channel.

El Salvador Concacaf U-20 Qualifiers Schedule

• Monday, Feb. 23 | vs. French Guiana | 8 p.m. CT
• Wednesday, Feb. 25 | vs. Saint Martin | 8 p.m. CT
• Friday, Feb. 27 | vs. Grenada | 8 p.m. CT
• Sunday, March 1 | vs. Belize | 8 p.m. CT
• Tuesday, March 3 | vs. Suriname | 8 p.m. CT

Ortiz joined El Salvador's U-20s twice last year, where he made three appearances and scored once in the UNCAF FIFA Forward tournament in Panama, and earned a senior team call up for a training camp in January.

Ortiz, a product of the Sporting Kansas City Academy, signed his first professional contract with Sporting KC II in March after making 11 amateur appearances in 2024. The Sporting Arkansas alumni scored two goals and added three assists in his first season with SKC II and went on to lead the team in assists in 2025.

The midfielder joined the SKC Academy in 2018, playing from the U-12 through the U-19 levels. He helped the U-19s capture the 2023 UPSL Oklahoma-Arkansas regular season title and appeared in three MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs in his time in the Academy. In 2024, Ortiz was a focal point of a midfield that earned trips to the GA Cup and MLS NEXT Cup Playoff Quarterfinals. 

After inking his first pro deal, Ortiz started 12 of 26 appearances for SKC II in the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro regular season. He scored once and paced the team in assists with four, playing over 1000 minutes on the season. Ortiz will join the El Salvador U-20s after taking part in Sporting Kansas City's 2026 preseason presented by Saint Luke’s where he made two appearances in the 2026 Coachella Valley Invitational. 

The midfielder will rejoin Sporting Kansas City II after the Concacaf Qualifiers in time for the team's home opener against Real Monarchs on Sunday, March 8 at Victory Field at Swope Soccer Village.