The U.S. men’s national team has found out its opponents for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil.
The USMNT will be joined in Group D by Australia, Paraguay and a European playoff winner, officials announced Friday at the World Cup draw. The European playoff winner will be Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.
Mauricio Pochettino’s American squad is No. 14 in FIFA’s world rankings. Australia ranks 26th and Paraguay ranks 39th. As for the European playoff contenders, Turkey is 25th, Slovakia is 45th, Romania is 47th, and Kosovo is 80th.
While the full match schedule for the World Cup will not be announced until Saturday, the USMNT has known the dates and venues for its group stage matches since February 2024. With the draw complete, the USMNT knows its schedule, as well:
- Match 1: Friday, June 12 – USMNT vs. Paraguay, Los Angeles Stadium
- Match 2: Friday, June 19 – USMNT vs. Australia, Seattle Stadium
- Match 3: Thursday, June 25 – USMNT vs. Winner UEFA Playoff C, Los Angeles Stadium
The USMNT-Paraguay match will come on the second day of the 2026 World Cup. Mexico will open the tournament on Thursday, June 11, against South Africa in a rematch of the 2010 World Cup opener. Canada will open group play on the same day as the USMNT with a tilt against another European playoff winner — potentially Italy — in Toronto on Friday, June 12.
The USMNT has recent success against its two known opponents. The team beat Australia 2-1 in an October friendly and defeated Paraguay in another friendly a month later.
As a host nation, the USMNT was one of four Pot 1 teams. Other Pot 1 squad included Mexico, Canada, Spain, Argentina, France, England, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, so none of those nations could be in the same group as the USMNT.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
