Here's Who US Will Play At 2026 FIFA World Cup: Schedule, TV Info, What To Know

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

The United States men's national soccer team has learned how its quest for its first World Cup trophy will begin.

The three group-stage opponents that the US will face in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup were revealed on Friday, Dec. 5. Soccer's international governing body held the final World Cup draw at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

The USMNT will be in Group D with Australia and Paraguay, along with either Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia, or Türkiye.

The newly expanded tournament begins on Thursday, June 11, when Mexico hosts South Africa, which also happened to be the 2010 World Cup opener. The tournament culminates with the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, July 19.

From the most highly anticipated matches to the biggest stars, here's what you need to know as the FIFA 2026 World Cup groups are set.

USMNT's Group D Matchups

The US will open group play against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on Friday, June 12. The two sides played in Copa America 2016 in Philadelphia, with the USMNT winning 1-0, along with a November friendly also won by the US.

Seattle will welcome the USMNT for its second Group D match against Australia on Friday, June 19. The US beat Australia 2-1 in an October friendly in Colorado.

The US will return to the Los Angeles area for its final group-stage match against a European playoff winner at SoFi Stadium on Thursday, June 25. Slovakia will play Kosovo, while Türkiye will take on Romania, with the two winners playing for the last Group D spot.

The 2026 World Cup will be the first to feature 48 teams, which means that some nations that finish in third place can advance to the knockout stage. Each group's third-place team will be ranked, with eight out of 12 advancing to the round of 32.

If the USMNT wins Group D, they'll take on a third-place team at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA, on Wednesday, July 1. This path would see the US potentially playing matches in Seattle, LA, and the Dallas area before the final.

A second-place finish for the US would send them to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to face the Group G runner-up on Friday, July 3. If they advance through this path, they'd play two matches in Atlanta and one in Kansas City, Missouri, on the way to the final.

While a third-place finish in the group would feel disappointing for the US, fans in the Northeast could benefit if the team qualifies for the knockouts. The USMNT could play round of 32 matches in the Boston or New York City areas, along with a potential game in Kansas City.

Other than USMNT matches, here are some other major showdowns:

• June 13: Brazil vs. Morocco (Group C)
• June 14: Netherlands vs. Japan (Group F)
• June 15: Belgium vs. Egypt (Group G)
• June 16: France vs. Senegal (Group I)
• June 17: England vs. Croatia (Group L)
• June 18: South Korea at Mexico (Group A)
• June 22: Argentina vs. Austria (Group J)
• June 23: England vs. Ghana (Group L)
• June 24: Switzerland at Canada (Group B)
• June 25: Germany vs. Ecuador (Group E)
• June 26: Spain vs. Uruguay (Group H)
• June 26: France vs. Norway (Group I)
• June 27: Portugal vs. Colombia (Group K)

Historic Hosts

The US is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico in the first World Cup to have three host nations. In 2002, Japan and South Korea were the only other nations to share World Cup hosting duties.

This will be the second time hosting the World Cup for US and Mexico. Brazil eliminated the USMNT in the round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup, while El Tri fell to West Germany after a penalty shootout in the 1986 quarterfinals.

Canada will host the men's World Cup for the first time, appearing in the tournament for the third time after Les Rouges ended a 36-year drought in 2022. The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup was held in Canada.

Beautiful Game in the Northeast

Three major Northeast stadiums are among the 16 host cities across the US, Canada, and Mexico. MetLife Stadium will be joined by Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

While all three stadiums weren't built during the 1994 World Cup, East Rutherford and Foxboro did host matches at the now-demolished Giants Stadium and Foxboro Stadium. Giants Stadium hosted the semifinals, seeing Italy defeat Bulgaria 2-1, while Foxboro hosted two thrilling Italian knockout-round victories against Nigeria and Spain.

This will be Philadelphia's first time hosting men's World Cup matches. Games were played at Lincoln Financial Field during the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, about a month after the newer home of the Philadelphia Eagles first opened.

Here are the dates of group-stage matches in the Northeast:

Gillette Stadium

• June 13
• June 16
• June 19
• June 23
• June 26

MetLife Stadium

• June 13
• June 16
• June 22
• June 25
• June 27

Lincoln Financial Field

• June 14
• June 19
• June 22
• June 25
• June 27

In the knockout rounds, Foxboro will host a round of 32 match and a quarterfinal, while Philly will be home to a round of 16 game on the Fourth of July. East Rutherford will have matches in the rounds of 32 and 16, in addition to the final.

FIFA will release the full schedule of matches and their stadiums on Saturday, Dec. 6.

Star-Studded Showdowns

This World Cup is widely expected to be the final one for two all-time greats: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi, who has led Inter Miami to the MLS Cup Final, will hope to repeat as World Cup champion after Argentina captured the 2022 title.

Many major Premier League stars are bringing nations with less global success to the grand stage. Manchester City's Erling Haaland powered Norway to its first World Cup appearance since 1998, while Liverpool's Mo Salah returns to the tournament with Egypt after qualifying in 2018.

Seeking its second men's World Cup, top-ranked Spain has a powerful squad featuring 18-year-old FC Barcelona phenom Lamine Yamal. Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe will try to redeem 2018 champion France after Les Bleus fell to Argentina in the 2022 final.

Another Real Madrid "galáctico," Jude Bellingham, and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane are among England's top players aiming for the nation's first World Cup win since 1966. Some of the many stars also in the tournament include Vinicius Junior (Brazil), Florian Wirtz (Germany), Alphonso Davies (Canada), and Raúl Jiménez (Mexico).

USMNT's Expected Squad

After failing to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the 2026 tournament marks a pivotal moment for the USMNT's crop of young stars, many of whom have excelled for European clubs.

Hershey, Pennsylvania, native Christian Pulisic will be among the top players for the US in his second World Cup. The AC Milan forward has scored 32 goals in 82 matches for the USMNT, including a goal and two assists in Qatar in 2022.

Wappinger Falls, New York's Tyler Adams will likely be the captain for the US. While known mainly for his defending, the midfielder recently scored a stunning goal from near midfield for Bournemouth FC after Sunderland's goalie moved forward during a corner kick on the opposite end of the pitch.

Nicknamed "Medford Messi" by some in honor of his South Jersey hometown, Brenden Aaronson hopes to play a key role in the USMNT attack after appearing in the 2022 World Cup. Brenden's younger brother Paxten could also make it to his first World Cup, developing his game after growing up in Philadelphia Union's academy.

Other major US players include Weston McKennie (Juventus), Tim Weah (Olympique Marseille), Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Yunus Musah (Atalanta), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), and Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach).

Mauricio Pochettino was appointed manager in September 2024. Before his time with the USMNT, Pochettino led Tottenham Hotspur to the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final, along with stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.

First Time, Long Time

With an expanded field from the 32 teams at the 2022 World Cup, several nations will make their debuts or end long-time droughts.

Cabo Verde, Curaçao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan have each qualified for their first men's World Cup. Haiti will appear for the second time after last playing in 1974, while Austria and Scotland will play their first World Cup matches since 1998.

Four more spots need to be decided in the European and intercontinental playoffs in March. Potential debutants in the playoffs include Albania, Kosovo, New Caledonia, North Macedonia, and Suriname.

Where to Watch

Fox Sports is the primary English-language broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup in the United States. All matches will be shown on either Fox's broadcast channel, Fox Sports 1, or Fox Sports 2.

Telemundo owns the Spanish-language rights to air the World Cup in the US.