A full 1,098 days have passed since the withdrawal from the 2022 Men's World Cup. with defeat to the Netherlands In the midst of Qatar and 189 days before the 2026 World Cup opens in the summer heat of Los Angeles, the U.S. men's team learned who they would face in the world's most popular sporting event on a cold, snowy day in Washington, DC. Games against Australia, Paraguay and one of Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo will await the United States at the 2026 World Cup, which it will co-host with Mexico and Canada, after the competition is drawn at the Kennedy Center on Friday.
The USA's first game of the tournament is set for June 12 in Los Angeles, followed by group games in Seattle on June 19 and again in Los Angeles on June 25. FIFA will announce the order of opponents and start times for these games on Saturday at 5:00 pm ET.
As a co-organizer of the tournament, the USA ended up in the first pot of the tournament table. World Cup draw, which took place in a lavish and sometimes awkward ceremony on Friday afternoon. Former England defenseman Rio Ferdinand presided over the draw, supported by a number of American sports stars: former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and NHL great Wayne Gretzky.
Australia were drawn into the USA's group from Pot 2. Both teams had not previously competed in the men's World Cup, although they played a friendly in Colorado earlier this year which the USA won 2-1. The Socceroos qualified by finishing second in their Asian World Cup qualifying group behind Japan.
Paraguay is a representative of the third basket. They finished sixth in World Cup qualifying in South America, taking the last automatic place. They also recently played the USA in a friendly – a 2-1 USA win in Chester, Pennsylvania.
The representative of basket 4 will be the representative of Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo. These teams compete in a playoff in March for Europe's qualifying spot, with the winner advancing to the World Cup final. If Türkiye wins the tournament, all three of the United States' group opponents will be teams they played in friendlies in 2025.
If the USA wins their group, they will face the third-place team from one of Groups B, E, F, I or J, depending on where they are ranked at the conclusion of the group stage. Notably, this creates the potential for a cross-border clash with hosts Canada, who will compete in Group B alongside Qatar, Switzerland and the winner of the European Play-Off B (Ukraine, Poland, Albania and Sweden). Notable teams from other groups include Germany, the Netherlands, France and Argentina. Regardless of the opponent, the United States, which has won its group, will play its round of 16 match on July 1 in Santa Clara, California.
If the U.S. finish second in the group, their Round of 32 game will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on July 3. There they will play the second-placed team in Group G, which includes Belgium, Egypt, Iran and New Zealand.
If they finish as one of the top third-place teams among multiple groups, the U.S. has three potential playoff debuts: June 29 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, against the winner of Group E (Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador)); June 30 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey against the winner of Group I (France, Senegal, Norway or European Playoff winner) or July 3 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City against the winner of Group K (Portugal, Uzbekistan, Colombia or other European Playoff winner)
Elsewhere in Friday's draw, Argentina were given a gentle route in Group J, starting their title defense against Algeria before facing Austria and debutant Jordan. European champions Spain were also given a comfortable place in Group H along with Cape Verde, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
England will take their chances leaving group Lwhich includes 2018 finalists Croatia, as well as Ghana and Panama. France will face a tougher route in Group I after draws with Senegal and Erling Haaland's Norway, with the group completed by the intercontinental play-off winner from Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname.
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Among the tournament co-hosts, Mexico will open the tournament against South Africa at Estadio Azteca, while Brazil are eliminated. in one of the most acute sections: Group C with 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, Scotland and Haiti. Germany are drawn into Group E along with Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Curaçao; Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, if he takes the field, will face Uzbekistan, Colombia and win the playoffs.
After the completion of the World Cup draw Friendly warm-up matches are planned against Germany, Portugal, Belgium and a yet-to-be-confirmed opponent, the bulk of the United States schedule comes during what could be one of the most transformative periods for the sport in the country's history. Now all that remains is to play games.
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