The United States are one of three nations hosting the biggest tournament in FIFA World Cup history, and expectations are gradually increasing for Mauricio Pochettino’s side on home soil.
The Argentine’s reign had been rather indifferent, but an uptick in form towards the end of 2025 has pointed towards a corner being turned in the absence of key names, with Pochettino’s major tactical shift to a back three paying dividends.
USA ’94 helped birth Major League Soccer (MLS), and with the sport’s popularity surging in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup, there’s scope for the long-term effects on U.S. soccer to be even more significant in the tournament’s aftermath.
Much may well depend on the extent of the USMNT’s success. The co-hosts cannot be expected to seriously compete for global supremacy, but a run similar to their 2002 campaign, when they reached the quarterfinals in Asia, will be recognized as stellar.
There’s still plenty to be decided in terms of group stage opponents and potential pathways, but here’s what we know so far regarding the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup schedule.
When Does the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup Campaign Start?
The U.D are one of three North American nations hosting the tournament. Their campaign gets underway on Saturday, June 12. Mexico are opening up the 2026 World Cup the day before, while Canada’s group stage journey starts on the same day as the USMNT’s.
Seven days separate the USMNT’s opening game in Group D, held at the impressive SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, C.A., and their second outing of the tournament, scheduled for June 19 at Seattle’s Lumen Field—a stadium revered for its atmosphere.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side will remain on the West Coast throughout the group stage. They’ll return to SoFi for their third outing on June 25.
USMNT 2026 World Cup Fixtures & Results
USMNT Potential Group Stage Opponents
By the time the 2026 World Cup draw takes place on Dec. 5 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., 42 of the 48 competing teams will be known. The rest will be decided via the playoffs in March 2026.
As one of the hosts, the USMNT were assigned to Pot 1, which also consists of the nine-highest ranked nations—based on FIFA’s world rankings—to qualify for the tournament. Pochettino’s side will thus avoid plenty of heavy hitters, such as France, Spain, England, Brazil and Argentina.
They’ll be drawn against one team from each of Pots 2, 3 and 4. At this stage, the teams in each pot are merely projected. According to Football Ranks on X, Croatia and Morocco are the two highest-ranked nations they could face from Pot 2. Colombia and Uruguay are also in there, as are Senegal and South Korea.
Pot 3 is highlighted by Ecuador and Norway, with both enjoying stellar qualifying campaigns.
There’s a healthy supply of lowly-ranked novices in Pot 4, including Uzbekistan, Cape Verde and Jordan. Ghana, right now, are the most established World Cup nation from the lowest-ranked pot.
The USMNT cannot be drawn against any nations from the same member association (Concacaf).
Where Will the USMNT Play During World Cup Knockout Stages?
The USMNT will be based on the West Coast during the group stages, and they’ll remain out west should they win Group D. However, they’ve only won their group once (2010) in World Cup history.
In the unlikely event of a group victory, Pochettino’s side will play their round of 32 fixture in Santa Clara, C.A., at Levi’s Stadium against one of five potential best-performing third-place finishers.
If they enter that part of the bracket, they’ll remain on the West Coast up until the semifinals.
A second-place finish will see them move to Arlington, T.X., for their first knockout outing against the runners-up of Group G. Win that, and they’ll see more of the country. The USMNT’s potential round of 16 tie and semifinal would be held in Atlanta, G.A., and their quarterfinal in Kansas City, M.O.
If the USMNT scrape into the knockouts via a third-place finish, their round of 32 tie will be staged in either Foxborough, M.A., East Rutherford, N.J., or Kansas City.
READ THE LATEST USMNT NEWS, REACTION AND ANALYSIS
This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT 2026 World Cup Schedule: Potential Opponents and Venues.
