The U.S. men’s national team will face some familiar opponents at the 2026 World Cup.
The Americans will face Paraguay, Australia, and the European playoff spot still to be determined between Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo in Group D of next summer’s tournament. Mauricio Pochettino’s squad received one of the more favorable draws on Friday, including two teams they defeated over the last two international windows.
“It’s a signal we are ready to arrive in six months,” Pochettino said in a TV interview with Fox. “We already have faced Paraguay and Australia, everything we know is very fresh. We will also face a very good team in Europe, we need to be optimistic, continue improving, and respect everyone in this group.”
The USMNT will open their group stage schedule against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, a team they defeated 2-1 in friendly action last month. Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun both scored in that match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Second will be a USMNT-Australia showdown on June 19 in Seattle, a rematch of a 2-1 home win for the U.S. in Commerce City, Colorado last October. Haji Wright scored twice in the result while star forward Christian Pulisic left the match through injury.
Slovakia and Kosovo will square off in Bratislava on March 26 while Turkey and Romania will also meet in a playoff match on the same day. The winners of those two matches will then meet in a final playoff showdown on March 31, with the final winner completing the USMNT’s group.
The USMNT will meet that European nation on June 25 in Los Angeles to conclude both teams’ group stage schedule.
CONCACAF teams had some mixed results in the draw, with Mexico earning a favorable Group A with South Korea, South Africa and a UEFA Playoff winner of either Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, or the Republic of Ireland.
Canada received a tougher draw in Group B with Switzerland, Qatar, and a UEFA Playoff winner of either Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, or Bosnia & Herzegovina.
There will be several mouthwatering group stage matchups next summer with Brazil-Morocco, Portugal-Colombia, England-Croatia, and Spain-Uruguay all slated to take place.
The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11, with the USMNT opener among the first slate of matches. A full breakdown of the tournament schedule will be revealed in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.
Here are the full World Cup groups:
FIFA World Cup Groups
A – Mexico, South Korea, South Africa, (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, or Republic of Ireland).
B – Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, UEFA Playoff winner (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, or Bosnia & Herzegovina).
C – Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti.
D – USA, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff winner (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo).
E – Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao.
F – Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, UEFA Playoff winner (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, or Albania).
G – Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand.
H – Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde.
I – France, Senegal, Norway, FIFA Playoff winner (Iraq, Suriname or Bolivia)
J – Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan.
K – Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, FIFA Playoff winner (Jamaica, New Caledonia, or DR Congo).
L – England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana.
What do you think of the draw? See the USMNT advancing to the knockout rounds? Think the Americans can win the group?