The United States men's national team discovered their group stage opponents for the 2026 World Cup during a draw ceremony held at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on Friday. The US, co-hosts of the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, will face Australia, Paraguay, and a yet-to-be-determined opponent from a European playoff involving Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo.
The US's opening match is scheduled for 12 June in Los Angeles, followed by group games in Seattle on 19 June and back in Los Angeles on 25 June. FIFA will announce the exact order of opponents and kickoff times on Saturday at 5pm ET.
Australia, drawn from Pot 2, qualified for the tournament by finishing second in their Asian qualifying group behind Japan. Paraguay, from Pot 3, secured the last automatic spot from South American qualifying. Both teams have faced the US in friendlies this year, with the US winning 2-1 on each occasion.
The final group opponent will come from Pot 4, determined by a European playoff in March. If Turkey wins that playoff, all three US group opponents will have played the US in friendlies during 2025.
Should the US win their group, they would face a third-placed team from one of five groups in the Round of 32 on 1 July in Santa Clara, California. A runner-up finish would send them to Arlington, Texas, on 3 July to face the runner-up from Group G, which includes Belgium, Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand. If they advance as one of the best third-placed teams, they could play in Foxborough, East Rutherford, or Kansas City.
Other notable groups include holders Argentina in Group J with Algeria, Austria, and Jordan; Spain in Group H with Cape Verde, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia; and England in Group L with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. France face Senegal, Norway, and a playoff winner in Group I, while Brazil were drawn into Group C with Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti.
