National Team Duties for Sporting Kansas City players in 2015

Despite a World Cup happening less than a year ago, 2015 figures to be a busy year for national teams with qualification for the 2016 Olympics, Euro 2016 and even some early World Cup 2018 action. The 2015 Gold Cup will also be featuring several teams in the middle of the MLS season, and Sporting KC could feel the brunt of multiple call-ups. Here's a look at who is likely to be called up, when they'll get the call and how it'll affect Sporting KC.

United States- Graham Zusi and Matt Besler

These two players were both called up a lot in the past couple of seasons and could earn some more caps in 2015. There's a couple of friendlies in late March against Chile and Panama on the 25th and 31st respectively that would take them away from Sporting KC's trip to Yankee Stadium and NYCFC on March 28.

Later on in the spring is the annual friendly with Mexico, which comes on April 15 between a Sporting KC date with Real Salt Lake on the 11th and Los Angeles on the 18th, so a possibly tricky roster rotation could come up then.

There will be two friendlies in early June in Holland and Germany on the 5th and 10th respectively that will likely feature a euro-heavy roster but, if Zusi and/or Besler do get called up anyways, they would miss Sporting KC's match with Seattle on the 6th.

The Gold Cup will take up a chunk of time away from Sporting KC with the first match coming on July 7 and the final on July 26. It'll be interesting to see what kind of roster Jurgen decides to go with, considering he went with a "B" team in 2013 but, with no World Cup qualifiers in 2015 he may decide to go full strength for the Gold Cup. Zusi and Besler could miss as many as three MLS matches, due to light scheduling in July.

Those are all the confirmed matches now although there are more friendlies likely to be added in September and October.

United States- Jon Kempin

I'm putting Kempin in a different paragraph because his situation is a lot different than Besler or Zusi's. It's very possible Kempin is going to be tabbed as a keeper for the 2016 Olympic qualification. It's not likely he's going to get called up outside of January camp and it can also be noted that any call-up would probably affect Oklahoma City more than Sporting KC, but it's something to keep in mind.

United States- Erik Palmer-Brown

Palmer-Brown was named to the U-20 preliminary roster for U-20 World Cup qualification camp and, although he did not make the final roster, he could figure into the future plans for the U-20s. If the team qualifies for the U-20 World Cup -- which they will should they defeat El Salvador on Jan. 24 -- Palmer-Brown could be called up to represent the squad from the end of May until about halfway through June, depending on how well the United States does. This is, of course, dependent on if they qualify in the first place.

He earned some significant minutes in Tab Ramos' squad in 2014 and looks to do the same in 2015.

Honduras- Roger Espinoza and Jorge Claros

Espinoza and Claros have been fixtures in the Honduran midfield for the past few years and that does not look to change in 2015. As of now, Honduras has not fully qualified for the Gold Cup and have a playoff against French Guiana March 25 and 29, so Claros and Espinoza could potentially miss Sporting KC's match at NYCFC. Should they make the Gold Cup, they will likely miss some of the same matches that Zusi and Besler will.

Haiti- James Marcelin

Marcelin is more of a long shot. He has only received one call-up for the Haitians since 2011 and was a 78th minute sub in a friendly last September. However, since Haiti has qualified for the Gold Cup there is the possibility he could get a call-up, especially if he performs well in the first couple months of his time with Sporting KC.