WASHINGTON — The United States will play Paraguay in its 2026 World Cup opener, and will also face Australia and a to-be-determined European team in Group D at next summer’s tournament.
The U.S. men’s national team, often known as the USMNT, learned its three group-stage opponents at Friday’s World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center — though the third of three will be determined by a European playoff in March. It could be Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.
After the opener against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in greater Los Angeles on June 12, the U.S. will head to Seattle’s Lumen Field for a June 19 matchup with Australia. It will then go back to Southern California for the group finale against the unknown European team on June 25.
The U.S., seeded in Pot 1 as a co-host of the tournament, will be expected to advance from its group — and perhaps even win it — especially with eight of 12 third-place teams progressing to the round of 32 under the World Cup’s new 48-team format.
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