WORLD CUP: Here are the 2026 FIFA World Cup Groups, TEAM USA will play in Seattle
By: Andrew Greif, Jesse Kirsch, and Greg Rosenstein
With President Trump and the leaders of Canada and Mexico, the host nations of the 2026 men’s World Cup, watching from the audience, the field for the largest soccer tournament was revealed Friday.
The 48-team field, an expansion from the previous 32-team format, will begin June 11 when Mexico faces South Africa in Mexico City.
THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUPS ARE SET 😍🌎🏆
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 5, 2025
Which group are you most excited to watch? pic.twitter.com/3cxyXQv90f
With President Trump and the leaders of Canada and Mexico, the host nations of the 2026 men’s World Cup, watching from the audience, the field for the largest soccer tournament was revealed Friday.
The 48-team field, an expansion from the previous 32-team format, will begin June 11 when Mexico faces South Africa in Mexico City.
The United States was placed into a group with opening opponent Paraguay, the 39th-ranked team in the world, and 26th-ranked Australia. Their group’s fourth and final team won’t be determined until March via a playoff between Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.
The U.S. will face Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California; Australia on June 19 in Seattle; and their final opponent, to be determined, on June 25 back in Inglewood.
During a more than two-hour ceremony that featured musical performances and celebrity appearances before any teams were revealed, Trump was awarded a peace prize by Gianni Infantino, the president of soccer’s global governing body, FIFA.
Trump later stood next to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum on stage as the host countries were placed into their respective groups.
With the expansion of the field, there were questions whether any of the 12, four-team groups would be stacked with contenders, known as the “Group of Death.” Group C, featuring Brazil, Morocco, Haiti and Scotland, and Group I, which has France, Senegal and Norway, are especially strong. So is Group L, with England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
