World Cup Group Stage Draw for U.S. Men’s National Team
There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the U.S. Men’s National Team as they gear up for the World Cup. Many believe that their success hinges on making it through the group stages, though, interestingly, the specific matchups are still unknown.
Come Friday, the Stars and Stripes will learn who they’ll be facing. Expectations are high—many think the U.S. should smoothly advance to the finals. Ranked at the top in their group, they will be competing against Australia, currently at 26th, and Paraguay, sitting at 39th. The playoff contenders will be finalized early next year.
This will mark Australia’s seventh World Cup appearance. Their best result? Reaching the Round of 16, which they managed two times, including their most recent outing four years ago in Qatar, where they lost to Argentina, the eventual champions.
As for Paraguay, due to federation regulations, they couldn’t be placed in the same group as Brazil—who topped Group C—but instead landed in the Americas group. This will be their first World Cup since 2010, when they made it to the quarterfinals, only to lose to champions Spain.
The final spot in the group is still up for grabs, likely going to Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia, or Kosovo. Turkey has seen action in the World Cup twice, making it to a third-place finish the last time they participated in 2002. Romania hopes to return to the tournament for the first time since 1998, while Slovakia last played in 2010, advancing to the Round of 16. Kosovo, on the other hand, has yet to compete in the event.
The U.S. team’s World Cup track record hasn’t been stellar. They’ve reached the Round of 16 in 2010 and again in 2014, but they missed the 2018 tournament entirely. Just three years ago, they made it to the Round of 16 once again but fell short in the Copa America at home last year.
Interestingly, the selection process for the groups featured some well-known figures, including Tom Brady and Shaquille O’Neal. With the tournament set for 2026, the U.S. is eager to kick things off on a positive note.
The U.S. will start the tournament on June 12 against Paraguay in Los Angeles.
