The United States men’s national team learned its fate for the 2026 World Cup as the first 48-team World Cup was drawn in Washington, D.C.
Headlined by Christian Pulisic and other top-tier players, the USMNT has plenty of hope heading into the first World Cup on home soil since 1994, and can hold confidence after ending 2025 on a three-match win streak.
Currently ranked 14th in the FIFA Rankings, manager Mauricio Pochettino will look to get the best out of his roster, with hopes of advancing deep into the knockout stages, bolstered by the power of the home crowds.
Here’s everything you need to know about the USMNT'S draw results in Group D.
Pot 1: United States (Concacaf)
- FIFA World Ranking: 14
- Elo World Ranking: 32
- How they qualified: Automatic host qualification
- Previous World Cup Appearances: 11
- Key player: Christian Pulisic
- Manager: Mauricio Pochettino
Pot 2: Australia (AFC)
- FIFA World Ranking: 26
- Elo World Ranking: 30
- How they qualified: Top two of their third-round group in the AFC qualification.
- Previous World Cup appearances: 7
- Key player: Jackson Irvine
- Manager: Tony Popovic
- Last match vs. USMNT: USMNT 2–1 Australia (October, 14, 2025)
Pot 3: Paraguay (CONMEBOL)
- FIFA World Ranking: 39
- Elo World Ranking: 21
- How they qualified: Top six finishers in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying
- Previous World Cup Appearances:
- Key player: Diego Gómez
- Manager: Gustavo Alfaro
- Last match vs. USMNT: USMNT 2–1 Paraguay (November 15, 2025)
Pot 4: UEFA Playoff C (Slovakia, Kosovo, Türkiye or Romania)
The winner of the UEFA Playoff C route will be determined in the March international window.
USMNT'S 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 12, 2026 | USMNT vs. Paraguay | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
| June 19, 2026 | USMNT vs. Australia | Lumen Field | Seattle |
| June 25, 2026 | USMNT vs. UEFA C | SoFi Stadium | Los Angeles |
When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
| Round | Dates |
|---|---|
| Group Stage | June 11– 27 |
| Round of 32 | June 28–July 3 |
| Round of 16 | July 4–7 |
| Quarterfinals | July 9–11 |
| Semifinals | July 14–15 |
| Final | July 19 |
READ THE LATEST WORLD CUP NEWS, PREVIEWS & ANALYSIS HERE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Who Is USMNT Playing at the 2026 World Cup?.
