Mauricio Pochettino has learned his first ever World Cup group opponents as a coach on Friday when the World Cup draw takes center stage in Washington, D.C.
And it was a very favorable draw for the USMNT.
MORE — Winners and losers of the 2026 World Cup draw
The Yanks are hosting the tournament along with neighbors Mexico and Canada, and will be the top seed in Group D for what they are hope are just the first three matches of their tournament.
Who will they play?
Who is the USMNT’s first World Cup opponent? Group D, first match
When: June 12, 2026
Where: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood California
Opponent: Paraguay (Pot 3 team)
They say it’s difficult to beat the same opponent twice, but the USMNT will be happy enough to try with a Paraguay side they toppled 2-1 on November 15. Oh, and they managed to do it with a shorthanded team in a performance that featured statements from Tanner Tessmann and Gio Reyna.
Who will be the USMNT’s toughest opponent? Group D, second match
When: June 19, 2026
Where: Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington
Opponent: Australia (Pot 2 team)
Australia was good draw for the USMNT when it comes to their Pot 2 options, especially considering Mauricio Pochettino’s men beat the Socceroos on American soil just a month and a half ago.
Who will the USMNT play in the group stage finale? Group D, third match
When: June 25, 2026
Where: SoFi Stadium in Inglewood California
Opponent: UEFA playoff winner 3 (Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkiye, or Romania) (Pot 4 team)
Who could the USMNT play if they win Group D?
This is a huge deal, because winning Group D means not facing a group runner-up and instead meeting a third-place team.
Yes, that could be from a Group of Death, so to speak, but it’s likely preferable to the alternative.
The Round of 32 opponent would come from Group B, E, F, I, or J. Group B is Canada, Qatar, Switzerland and a playoff winner who is favored to be Italy. E is Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, and Ecuador. F has the Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, and a the winner of a loaded playoff with Sweden, Ukraine, Poland, and Albania. I is France, Senegal, Norway, and either Bolivia, Suriname, or Iraq. J is Argentina, Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.
If the Yanks won that game, they’d face the Winner of Group G or the third-place team from A, E, H, I, or J.
