Time to worry? The USA’s record against their World Cup 2026 group opponents
The United States will face Paraguay again in the World Cup almost a century later. Against Australia, they will make their debut in the tournament.
We now know all the matchups for the 2026 World Cup. The forty-two teams already confirmed for the tournament, along with the six still to be decided through the playoffs, now have their opponents set for the competition in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
As previously announced, Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT were placed in Group D after the draw conducted by Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal.
The team will share the group with Australia, Paraguay and the winner of European Play-off A, a path that includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo. There is not much history between the United States and their World Cup rivals, although there are a few precedents.
OUR GROUP FOR THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP! 🇺🇸 @Visa | #NeverChaseReality pic.twitter.com/YwIM9puGEK
— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) December 5, 2025
United States in World Cups against their 2026 rivals
Australia
The United States have never faced the Socceroos in a FIFA World Cup match.
Paraguay
Paraguay and the USMNT have met only once at a World Cup. The match took place at the 1930 tournament in Uruguay, where the United States defeated the South Americans 3–0. Bertrand Patenaude scored a hat-trick at Parque Central in Montevideo.
Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo
The United States will face the winner of UEFA Play-off Group A. Of the nations involved, the USMNT have only met Romania at a World Cup. That encounter came in 1994, the last time the United States hosted the tournament. Romania won 1–0 at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles with a goal from Dan Petrescu.
Interestingly, the match on 25 June, which will see the United States face the winner of that European qualifier, will also take place in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, this time at SoFi Stadium.
This FIFA World Cup draw ceremony feels like a South Park episode. I can't believe this is really happening on live TV.
— Rytis Vysniauskas (@Ryxa41) December 5, 2025
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