World Cup 2026 Group D: United States · Paraguay · Australia · Turkey

Group D delivers the United States the home draw fans were hoping for and a schedule that starts at SoFi Stadium. Mauricio Pochettino's side arrive as co-host with a young, athletic spine — Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun — but also under the pressure of being the most visible team of the tournament for American media. Paraguay are a traditional CONMEBOL side who qualified by defense and set pieces, while Australia bring the tournament's most experienced press-resistant core.

Turkey are the unknown quantity. Returning after 24 years since their 2002 semifinal run, the Crescent-Stars rebuilt around Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, and a generation that came through at Real Madrid, Fenerbahçe, and Inter. They are the draw's X-factor — talented enough to finish second in a friendly group, yet inconsistent enough to go home winless if their best players misfire. This is the group where form, not reputation, decides the order.

For the USA, the real test is psychological. Every World Cup opens with a host stumbling somewhere in their group; Pochettino will want to avoid the late-game concessions that plagued the side in Copa América 2024. A comfortable first match against Paraguay at SoFi would settle the narrative early.