The United States open their home World Cup on Friday, June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium — the most anticipated USMNT match ever played on American soil. Here is the complete Group D guide: every fixture in ET, Pochettino’s 26-man roster, and the broadcast plan.
Group D: the lay of the land
Group D gives the co-hosts Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye — no group-stage pushovers, but no elite seed either. Türkiye, the closer in Inglewood, profile as the toughest test: a technical, aggressive side that eliminated heavyweights in qualifying. Paraguay bring South American defensive grit; Australia are tournament regulars.
The schedule is a coast-to-coast loop — Los Angeles, Seattle, Los Angeles — entirely inside the home half of the bracket infrastructure, with two matches at SoFi Stadium.
USMNT fixtures: Group D schedule (ET)
Every US group-stage match, with venues and Eastern Time kickoffs from the official tournament schedule.
| Date (2026) | Opponent | Venue | Kickoff (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, June 12 | Paraguay | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 9:00 PM | FOX / Telemundo |
| Fri, June 19 | Australia | Lumen Field, Seattle | 3:00 PM | FOX / Telemundo |
| Thu, June 25 | Türkiye | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA | 10:00 PM | FOX / Telemundo |
The opener against Paraguay also streams free on Tubi, FOX’s ad-supported platform — one of the rare free-streaming windows of the tournament. Venue capacities and climates are compared in our 16-stadium breakdown.
The squad: Pochettino’s 26
Mauricio Pochettino named a 26-man roster headlined by Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie — the Qatar core grown into its prime, with 13 players returning from the 2022 squad. At an average age of just under 27, it is the fifth-youngest US World Cup roster ever.
The storyline pick was Gio Reyna, back in the fold after a turbulent cycle, while Diego Luna was the hardest cut. Tim Weah and Haji Wright return as the proven tournament scorers, and McKennie — “Juventus is Weston McKennie plus 10,” in Pochettino’s words — is the emotional engine.
World Cup pedigree
The US reached the semifinals of the very first World Cup in 1930 — still the best finish — and the 2002 quarterfinal remains the modern high-water mark. This is the nation’s first home men’s World Cup since 1994, the tournament that launched MLS and modern American soccer. The 1994 story is told in our look at World Cups on North American soil.
Tactical profile
Pochettino plays a front-foot 4-2-3-1: high pressing triggers from Pulisic and Weah, Adams screening, and full-backs overlapping aggressively. The USMNT posted top-quartile pressing and duel-win numbers across the cycle’s friendlies — energy is the identity, with Pulisic’s left half-space the main creative channel.
The open question is goals: Wright and the No. 9 rotation must convert the volume the press creates. Expected goals (xG) created has not been the problem; finishing efficiency has.
How to watch in the USA
Every USMNT match airs on big FOX in English, with streaming via the FOX Sports app, and on Telemundo in Spanish with streaming on Peacock. The opener is also free on Tubi.
Full details in our US broadcast guide; the official roster announcement is on ussoccer.com.
FAQ
When does the USA play their first World Cup 2026 match?
The USMNT open against Paraguay on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 9:00 PM ET (6:00 PM local) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Who made the USMNT World Cup 2026 roster?
Pochettino’s 26 is headlined by Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Haji Wright and Gio Reyna, with 13 players returning from the Qatar 2022 squad.
Who is in the USA’s World Cup 2026 group?
Group D contains the United States, Paraguay, Australia and Türkiye. The US play Paraguay June 12, Australia June 19 in Seattle, and Türkiye June 25 back at SoFi Stadium.
How can I watch USMNT matches for free?
The opener against Paraguay streams free on Tubi, FOX’s ad-supported service. All US matches air on FOX (English) and Telemundo (Spanish), with Peacock streaming the Spanish feed.