Co-hosts the United States open their World Cup on home soil against Paraguay while Australia and Turkey complete a competitive and evenly matched Group D.
United States
Co-hosts and automatic qualifiers, the United States open their tournament at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles against Paraguay on 13 June – their first home World Cup match since 1994.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side are appearing at their 12th World Cup and carry the weight of home expectation into every fixture. The USMNT are the highest-ranked side in the group at 14th in the world.
Players to watch: Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun.
Paraguay
Paraguay qualified by finishing sixth in CONMEBOL qualifying – their ninth World Cup appearance and first since 2010.
A physically imposing side with a strong defensive structure, they have punched above their weight at previous tournaments – reaching the quarter-finals in 2010. The 2026 tournament ends a 16-year World Cup absence.
Players to watch: Miguel Almiron and Junior Alonso.
Australia
The Socceroos qualified as runners-up in AFC third round Group C and are appearing at their seventh World Cup under coach Tony Popovic, appointed in September 2024.
Their best performances came in 2006 and 2022, both reaching the Round of 16. A youthful and dynamic squad travels to North America with genuine ambitions of repeating that feat.
Players to watch: Nestory Irankunda and Mohamed Toure.
Turkey
Turkey sealed their place at the tournament by winning the UEFA playoff on 31 March 2026 – ending a 24-year World Cup absence since their third-place finish in 2002.
Hakan Sukur’s fastest ever World Cup goal – 11 seconds against South Korea – remains their most celebrated moment. A well-organised side with genuine quality in attack, they will not be underestimated by any opponent in Group D.
Players to watch: Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz.
The United States are the clear favourites to top Group D on home soil. The battle for the second automatic qualification spot between Australia, Turkey and Paraguay is where the real intrigue lies – with all three sides capable of causing an upset.
The fixtures
13 Jun: USA vs Paraguay – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 03:00 SAST
13 Jun: Australia vs Turkey – BC Place, Vancouver – 06:00 SAST
19 Jun: USA vs Australia – Lumen Field, Seattle – 21:00 SAST
20 Jun: Turkey vs Paraguay – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara – 05:00 SAST
26 Jun: Turkey vs USA – SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles – 04:00 SAST
26 Jun: Paraguay vs Australia – Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara – 04:00 SAST
Photo: BSR Agency/Getty Images
