A detailed view of the FIFA World Cup Trophy during the VIP Welcome Reception ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Michael Regan – FIFA/FIFA
The group stage for the 48-team World Cup will pit the U.S. against Paraguay for its first match in the 2026 tournament.
The U.S. team will face off against three teams in Group D.
Who is the US playing in the World Cup?
What we know:
The U.S. will play Paraguay for its first match in the 2026 World Cup, the largest and most ambitious tournament in FIFA history. Australia is also in Group D, and the fourth team will be the winner of UEFA playoff C.
RELATED: What are the pots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw on Dec. 5?
Timeline:
The first match for the U.S. will be June 12 in Los Angeles.
World Cup Group D
The following teams are in World Cup Group D:
- USA
- Paraguay
- Australia
- TBD (winner of UEFA playoff C)
World Cup 2026
Big picture view:
The expanded tournament will feature 48 nations, including four debuting teams: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan. The games will be held from June 11 to July 19 at 16 sites in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, with attendance expected to break records.
By the numbers:
Games will be played at 11 NFL stadiums, along with three in Mexico and two in Canada, where construction is underway to add 17,000 temporary seats to BMO Field, raising capacity to around 45,000. Attendance will top the record 3.59 million in 1994.
How it works
Dig deeper:
The 48 teams selected in Friday’s draw are split into 12 groups (A–L) of four teams each.
The top two teams from each group and the eight best third-place teams advance to the Round of 32.
Teams are separated into four pots, based on their FIFA World Ranking (as of November 2025).
Can the US win the World Cup?
After announcing the World Cup draw plans, President Donald Trump asks FIFA President Gianni Infantino if he thinks the US team can win the World Cup next year. Here’s what he had to say.
One team is drawn from each pot to form every group, ensuring that no two teams from the same confederation (except Europe) are drawn together.
The format is designed to increase global representation while maintaining competitive balance — and to guarantee at least three matches for every team.
The tournament host countries, Canada, Mexico and the USA, will be allocated to pot 1, and the 39 remaining qualified teams have been allocated to the four pots of 12 teams. The final six spots will be determined in March with two tournaments.
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The Source: This report includes information from the World Cup draw, The Associated Press and previous FOX TV Stations reporting.
