USMNT Drawn with Paraguay, Australia and either Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia or Türkiye in Group D at 2026 FIFA World Cup United States, Mexico and Canada

USMNT DRAWS PARAGUAY, AUSTRALIA AND EITHER KOSOVO, ROMANIA, SLOVAKIA OR TÜRKIYE IN GROUP D AT THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP

USA Opens Against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, Faces Australia in Second Match on June 19 in Seattle and Closes Group Stage with Winner of UEFA Playoff C on June 25 in Los Angeles;

FIFA Will Announce Match Times and Full Schedule Saturday at Noon ET

ATLANTA (December 5, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team was drawn into Group D along with Paraguay, Australia and the winner of UEFA Playoff C -- either Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia or Türkiye -- at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final Draw held today in Washington, D.C.

Appearing in its 12th World Cup and second time as a host nation, the USMNT opens group play against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles, Calif. The second group stage match will take place on June 19 in Seattle against Australia and the USA will finish back in Los Angeles on June 25 against the UEFA Playoff C winner. The full tournament schedule, which includes venues and kickoff times, will be confirmed by FIFA Saturday at noon ET.

All 2026 FIFA World Cup matches will be shown live on FOX Sports and Telemundo broadcast networks.

2026 FIFA World Cup Groups:

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, UEFA Playoff D (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czechia, Republic of Ireland)

Group B: Canada, UEFA Playoff A (Wales, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Italy, Northern Ireland), Qatar, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff C (Slovakia, Kosovo, Türkiye, Romania)

Group E: Germany, Curaçao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, UEFA Playoff B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania), Tunisia

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, IR Iran, New Zealand

Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay

Group I: France, Senegal, FIFA Playoff 2 (Bolivia, Suriname, Iraq), Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, FIFA Playoff 1 (New Caledonia, Jamaica, DR Congo), Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

USA’s Group D Schedule at 2026 FIFA World Cup (all times TBD):

Match 1: USA vs. Paraguay (June 12 at Los Angeles Stadium; Inglewood, Calif.)

Match 2: Australia vs. USA (June 19 at Seattle Stadium; Seattle, Wash.)

Match 3: USA vs. Winner of UEFA Playoff C (June 25 at Los Angeles Stadium; Inglewood, Calif.)

USA’s Potential Round of 32 Path:

• Should the USA finish top of Group D, it will face a third-place team from either Group B, Group F, Group I, or Group J.

• Should the USA finish second in Group D, it would face the second-place team from Group G.

• Should the USA finish third in Group D and be among the top eight third-place finishers, the USMNT would face the winner from either Group E, Group I or Group K.

Utilizing a significant player pool, a total of 56 players earned at least one cap in 2025 under head coach Mauricio Pochettino. By bringing larger camps and rotating more players through key match windows, Pochettino has prioritized building a roster capable of playing multiple styles, adjusting to diverse opponents, and sustaining peak performance over the length of a home World Cup. The approach reflects a long-term plan to maximize depth, sharpen internal competition, and raise the overall ceiling of the program ahead of 2026.

The USA is gearing up for its ninth FIFA World Cup since 1990 and 12th overall appearance in the tournament. The USMNT heads into 2026 unbeaten in its last five matches, with four victories against teams that were already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

USA’s All-Time Record against Group D Opponents and Potential Opponents:

Paraguay: 5-2-2 (12 GF, 7 GA)

Australia: 2-1-1 (5 GF, 3 GA)

Kosovo: 0-0-0 (0 GF, 0 GA)

Romania: 1-2-1 (4 GF, 4 GA)

Slovakia: 0-1-0 (0 GF, 1 GA)

Türkiye: 2-2-1 (7 GF, 7 GA)

Group D Opponent and Potential Opponent Profiles:

Country: Australia

Current FIFA World Ranking: 26FIFA Trigram: AUS

Language: English

Championship Honors: AFC Asian Cup (2015); OFC Nations Cup (1980, 1996, 2000, 2004)

USMNT Record vs. Australia: 2-1-1 (5 GF, 3 GA)

World Cup Finals Appearances: 7 – 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026

World Cup Record: 4-12-4 (17 GF, 37 GA)

Best World Cup Finish: Round of 16, 2022

2026 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 2nd in AFC Third Round Group C (5-1-4; 16 GF, 7 GA); Finished 1^st in AFC Second Round Group I (6-0-0; 22 GF, 0 GA)

Date Qualified: June 10, 2025

Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Kusini Yengi (6)

Head Coach: Tony Popovic (Australia)

Key Players: Mathew Ryan (Levante UD/ESP), Aiden O’Neill (New York City FC/USA), Nestory Irankunda (Watford/ENG), Kusini Yengi (Aberdeen FC/SCO), Patrick Yazbek (Nashville SC/USA)

Fast Facts: Australia has qualified for six consecutive World Cup tournaments dating back to 2006 … The most recent meeting between the U.S. and Australia was a friendly on November 10, 2025, in Commerce City, Colo. where the U.S. won 2-1 … The U.S. and Australia have never faced each other in a World Cup … Head Coach Tony Popovic will become the first Australian to play and manage the team at the World Cup … Australia’s all-time top goalscorer, Tim Cahill (50 goals), played two-and-a-half seasons with New York Red Bulls of MLS … Current Australia midfielder Aiden O’Neill plays for MLS club New York City FC where he is a teammate of U.S. goalkeeper Matt Freese … Midfielder Patrick Yazbek also plays in MLS for Eastern Conference side Nashville SC … On January 1, 2006, Australia officially became a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) after 40 years in the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).

Country: Paraguay

Current FIFA World Ranking: 39FIFA Trigram: PAR

Language: Guarani, Spanish

Championship Honors: Copa America (1952/53, 1979)

USMNT Record vs. Paraguay: 5-2-2 (12 GF, 7 GA)

World Cup Finals Appearances: 9 – 1930, 1950, 1958, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2026

World Cup Record: 7-10-10 (30 GF, 38 GA)

Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals, 2010

2026 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 6th in CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying (7-4-7; 14 GF, 10 GA)

Date Qualified: September 4, 2025

Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Tony Sanabria (4)

Head Coach: Gustavo Alfaro (Argentina)

Key Players: Miguel Almiron (Atlanta United/USA), Julio Enciso (RC Strasbourg/FRA), Diego Gomez (Brighton and Hove Albion/ENG), Braian Ojeda (Real Salt Lake/USA), Omar Alderete (Sunderland/ENG)

Fast Facts: Paraguay returns to the World Cup for the first time in 16 years, making its ninth appearance … The last meeting between the U.S. and Paraguay came on November 15, 2025, an international friendly in Chester, Pa. with the USA winning, 2-1 … The teams first met at the inaugural 1930 World Cup, a 3-0 victory for the U.S. with American Bert Patenaude scoring the first-ever World Cup hat trick… En route to qualification Paraguay defeated CONMEBOL giants Brazil 1-0 and Argentina 2-1 ... Midfielder Miguel Almiron plays for MLS club Atlanta United where he was teammates with the recently retired former U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan … In 2010, Paraguay recorded its best finish making it to the quarterfinals against eventual World Cup champion Spain … Alongside the United States, Paraguay was one of 13 teams to participate in the inaugural 1930 World Cup … Former forward Roque Santa Cruz is Paraguay’s all-time leading goal scorer with 32 goals.

POTENTIAL GROUP D OPPONENTS PENDING UEFA/FIFA PLAYOFF ON MARCH 26 AND 31:

Country: Slovakia

Current FIFA World Ranking: 45FIFA Trigram: SVK

Language: Slovak

Championship Honors: None

USMNT Record vs. Slovakia: 0-1-0 (0 GF, 1 GA)

USMNT Record vs. Czechoslovakia*: 0-1-0 (1 GF, 5 GA)*Both Slovakia and Czechia are considered successors to Czechoslovakia

World Cup Finals Appearances: 9 – 1934, 1938, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1970, 1982, 1990 (as Czechoslovakia) 2010 (as Slovakia)

World Cup Record: 12-16-6 (49 GF, 52 GA)

Best World Cup Finish: Runner-up, 1962

2026 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 2nd in UEFA Group A (4-2-0; 6 GF, 8 GA); Will compete in European Playoff C vs. Kosovo with the winner to play the winner of Türkiye vs. Romania

Date Qualified: TBD; UEFA Playoff C

Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Six players tied with one goal

Head Coach: Francesco Calzona (Italy)

Key Players: Milan Skriniar (Fenerbahce/TUR), Stanislav Lobotka (Napoli/ITA), David Hancko (Atletico Madrid/ESP), David Strelec (Middlesbrough/ENG), Tomas Suslov (Hellas Verona/ITA), Martin Dubravka (Burnley/ENG)

Fast Facts: With two games left to play in European Playoff C, Slovakia hopes to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 … The first and only meeting between the U.S. and Slovakia was an international friendly on November 14, 2009, in Bratislava, Slovakia ... Slovakia won 1-0 … Marek Hamsik is Slovakia’s all-time top scorers with 26 goals … Defender David Hancko is currently teammates with U.S. midfielder Johnny Cardoso at Spanish club Atletico Madrid … Forward David Strelec is currently teammates with U.S. midfielder Aidan Morris at English club Middlesbrough …The USA and Czechoslovakia met in the opening match of the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, a 5-1 win for Czechoslovakia.

Country: Kosovo

Current FIFA World Ranking: 80FIFA Trigram: KOS

Language: Albanian, Serbian

Championship Honors: None

USMNT Record vs. Kosovo: 0-0-0 (0 GF, 0 GA)

World Cup Finals Appearances: None

World Cup Record: 0-0-0 (0 GF, 0 GA)

Best World Cup Finish: None

2026 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 2nd in UEFA Group B (3-1-2; 6 GF, 5 GA); Will compete in European Playoff C vs. Slovakia with the winner to play the winner of Türkiye vs. Romania

Date Qualified: TBD; UEFA Playoff C

Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Fisnik Asllani (2)

Head Coach: Franco Foda (Germany)

Key Players: Edon Zhegrova (Juventus/ITA), Vedat Muriqi (RCD Mallorca/ESP), Amir Rrahmani (Napoli/ITA), Fisnik Asllani (TSG Hoffenheim/GER), Arijanet Muric (Sassuolo/ITA), Milot Rashica (Besiktas/TUR)

Fast Facts: With two games left to play in European Playoff C, Kosovo hopes to appear to the World Cup for the first time ever … The U.S and Kosovo have never faced each other … Kosovo is led by Vedat Muriqi, who is the country’s all-time leading scorer with 32 goals … Forward Edon Zhegrova is currently teammates with U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie at Italian club Juventus.

Country: Türkiye

Current FIFA World Ranking: 25FIFA Trigram: TUR

Language: Turkish

Championship Honors: None

USMNT Record vs. Türkiye: 2-2-1 (7 GF, 7 GA)

World Cup Finals Appearances: 2 – 1954, 2002

World Cup Record: 5-4-1 (20 GF, 17 GA)

Best World Cup Finish: Third Place, 2002

2026 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 2nd in UEFA Group E (4-1-1; 4 GF, 12 GA); Will compete in European Playoff C vs. Romania with the winner to play the winner of Slovakia vs. Kosovo

Date Qualified: TBD; UEFA Playoff C

Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Kenan Yildiz (3)

Head Coach: Vicenzo Montella (Italy)

Key Players: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan/ITA), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus/ITA), Arda Guler (Real Madrid/ESP), Orkun Kokcu (Besiktas/TUR), Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER)

Fast Facts: With two games left to play in European Playoff C, Türkiye hopes to return to the World Cup for the first time since 2002 … Last meeting between the U.S. and Türkiye was an international friendly on June 7, 2025, in East Hartford, Conn. ... Türkiye won 2-1 … Türkiye was led in qualifying by forward Kenan Yildiz, who scored three goals … Yildiz is the club teammate of U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie at Italian club Juventus … Türkiye’s best finish came in the 2002 World Cup, losing to Brazil in the semifinals before defeating hosts Korea Republic in the third-place match … Türkiye are led by head coach Vicenzo Montella, who guided the country to qualification for the 2024 UEFA European Championship ... Hakan Şükür is Türkiye’s all-time leading scorer with 51 goals … Şükür is known for scoring the fastest goal in World Cup history, scoring in just 11 seconds against South Korea in 2002.

Country: Romania

Current FIFA World Ranking: 47FIFA Trigram: ROU

Language: Romanian

Championship Honors: None

USMNT Record vs. Romania: 1-2-1 (4 GF, 4 GA)

World Cup Finals Appearances: 7 – 1930, 1934, 1938, 1970, 1990, 1994, 1998

World Cup Record: 8-8-5 (30 GF, 32 GA)

Best World Cup Finish: Quarterfinals, 1994

2026 World Cup Qualifying: Finished 2nd in UEFA Group H (4-3-1; 19 GF, 10 GA); To compete in European Playoff C vs. Türkiye with the winner to play the winner of Slovakia vs. Kosovo

Date Qualified: TBD; UEFA Playoff C

Leading World Cup Qualifying Scorer: Dennis Man, Ianis Hagi (2)

Head Coach: Mircea Lucescu (Romania)

Key Players: Ianis Hagi (Alanyaspor/TUR), Dennis Man (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Andrei Ratiu (Rayo Vallecano/ESP), Ionut Radu (Celta Vigo/ESP), Marius Marin (Pisa/ITA), Darius Olaru (FCSB/ROU)

Fast Facts: With two games left to play in European Playoff C, Romania hopes to return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998 … Last meeting between the U.S. and Romania was in the Group Stage of the 1994 World Cup on June 26, 1994, in Pasadena, Calif. ... Romania won 1-0 … Romania’s highest FIFA ranking came in 1997 when they reached third … Romania’s best finish at the World Cup came in 1994 when they reached the quarterfinals … Romania are led by head coach Mircea Lucescu, who is in his second spell with the national team at 80 years old … Gheorghe Hagi and Adrian Mutu are Romania’s joint all-time top scorers with 35 goals each … Forward Dennis Man is currently teammates with U.S. forward Ricardo Pepi at Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.

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