WASHINGTON — Friday's World Cup draw couldn't be much better for US national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino.. In a star-studded two-hour ceremony held at the Kennedy Center, the Americans were paired with Paraguay and Australia, teams they had beaten over the past two months, as well as the winner of a European playoff involving Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.
“We have already done our homework because it is fresh,” Pochettino said. “We know them, but they know us. The most important thing is evolution and improvement in all areas so that we can be sure that in our debut we will be stronger than today.
“I was looking forward to the World Cup. We start today.”
Next summer's tournament, which begins June 11 in Mexico City where Mexico faces South Africa, will be the largest and toughest single-sport competition in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games in three countries before the July 19 final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
It will also be the first World Cup to be held in the United States in 32 years. And for the players it means everything.
“You couldn't ask for anything better. This is what we dreamed of as children,” said striker Christian Pulisic. “It's important to approach this with the mindset that we're just going to enjoy it. We're going to try to soak up the whole experience.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The US ranks 14th in the world; of the six other teams in its group, only Türkiye is in the top 25. It would seem that this makes the path to the playoffs a little easier.
The Americans will open the tournament against No. 39 Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12, then face Australia in Seattle on June 19 before returning to Inglewood to conclude group play against the playoff winner on June 25. The top two teams in each of the 12 groups of four, as well as the top eight third-place teams, will advance to the second round.
If the U.S. wins the group, they will stay in California to play the third-place team in Santa Clara, setting them on a path that will take them to Seattle for the round of 16 and then back to SoFi Stadium for the quarterfinals, a stage the U.S. has reached only once before in the modern era.
Linebacker Tyler Adams said no one is planning that route yet.
-
Share via
Kevin Baxter shares his thoughts on the United States' path to the 2026 World Cup and which teams may have the toughest time in group play.
“There is no easy game at the World Cup,” he said. “In fact, I think some of our toughest games at the previous World Cup were against weaker opponents. But it's nice to know that we've played some of these opponents before.”
Finishing in second place, the team will play its first elimination game in Dallas, and if it wins, it will travel to Atlanta for the round of 16.
“I'm sure you'd expect the U.S. to be the favorite,” said Tony Popovich, coach of 26th-ranked Australia. “They expect to be the host country when they play at home. If that's the case, I'm happy for them – as long as we're with them and joining them.”
Pochettino, however, said he would not be distracted by talk of the group being easy because expecting to win and actually doing it are two different things.
“To people who say, ‘You have to win’ before you even start playing, no,” he said in Spanish. “In football you don’t win on the bus. You win when you make money on the field.
“For this reason, we must show great respect—total respect—to our adversaries.”
Group of Death? More like a group of slightly uncomfortable people
France, a 2022 World Cup finalist, will play perhaps the toughest group at the 2026 World Cup.
(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
While the US received a favorable draw, the same could not be said for France, who were drawn in a group with Senegal, Norway (and Erling Haaland) and survived an inter-confederation playoff involving Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq. They're not exactly the Band of Death, but they're probably the most competitive quartet to come out of Friday's draw.
Other strong groups include Group C, led by five-time champions Brazil and Morocco, a semi-finalist four years ago, and Group H with tournament favorites Spain and Uruguay, who have reached the quarter-finals in two of the last four World Cups.
Defending champions Argentina will play in Group J against Algeria, Austria and Jordan, none of whom are ranked in the world's top 23.
For the first time in World Cup history, the eight third-placed teams have qualified for the knockout stages, so the margin of error for the first round has never been greater, meaning teams will have a chance to overcome one bad performance – or even two – and still advance.
There's no place like home for Mexico
Mexico reached the quarterfinals in the first two World Cups played in Mexico, a story coach Javier Aguirre knows well because the last time it happened was in 1986, Aguirre started in midfield in El Tri's final game.
So, next summer the tournament will return to Mexico, and Aguirre hopes that return the team to the final eight.
“When we play at home, we get very excited,” the coach said in Spanish.
But first, Mexico will have to progress through a group that includes South Africa, South Korea and the winner of the European play-off involving Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic or Ireland to get closer to the quarter-finals.
“This is a tough group,” said Aguirre, whose team finished the year without a win in its last six tries. “These are interesting games, different styles, and we are going to prepare for them.
“We can't underestimate anyone.”
A win in the group would give Mexico the chance to play the first two knockout games at home before heading to South Florida for the quarterfinals. Second place would allow the team to travel to Los Angeles and then Houston (two predominantly Mexican markets) for the next two games. At this track, the quarterfinals will take place in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
South Korea, captained by LAFC forward Son Heung-min, has qualified for 11 consecutive World Cups, a streak surpassed only by Germany, Brazil, Spain and Argentina. South Africa last took part in the tournament in 2010, when it hosted it.
Trump received the Peace Prize
FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents President Trump with the newly created FIFA Peace Prize before the World Cup draw begins on Friday.
(Stephanie Scarbrough/Associated Press)
Before Friday's draw began, FIFA leader Gianni Infantino presented President Trump with the first FIFA World Prize. The move was widely interpreted as a gesture by Infantino to curry favor with Trump, whose cooperation will be key to a successful World Cup.
Infantino, who announced the annual award last month, praised Trump's efforts “to ensure world peace,” including his work securing a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
“That’s what we want in a leader, a leader who cares about people,” he said. “We want to live in a safe world. That's what we're doing here today. That's what we're doing at the World Cup, Mr. President. And you definitely deserve the first FIFA World Prize for your actions, for what you've achieved along the way.”
Trump thanked Infantino, calling the award “one of the greatest honors of my life.”
Give them a break
Record heat and humidity marred the FIFA Club World Cup last summer, with many daytime games topping 90 degrees, making play difficult and leaving some players in the lurch. As a result, FIFPRO, the union representing players, called for better planning and more drinking breaks ahead of the World Cup – and FIFA appears to have listened.
World Cup organizers are reportedly considering introducing water breaks in both halves of every game, even for matches played indoors.
