USA soccer will open 2026 World Cup against Paraguay

WASHINGTON (AP) — Argentina and Lionel Messi will start their World Cup title defense against Algeria, while the U.S. got a 2026 World Cup draw Friday to open against Paraguay as soccer’s quadrennial championship returns to North America for the first time since 1994.

Three-time champion Argentina also will play Austria and Jordan in Group J of the expanded 48-nation, 104-game festival, spread across 11 NFL stadiums plus three venues in Mexico and two in Canada.

The ceremony included U.S. President Donald Trump receiving a peace prize awarded by FIFA, and balls with team names plucked by famous North American athletes Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Aaron Judge and Wayne Gretzky.

The U.S., which reached the semifinals at the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and the quarterfinals in 2002, starts Group D against Paraguay on June 12 in Inglewood, California. The Americans play Australia six days later at Seattle, then face Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo on June 25 back at SoFi Stadium.

“Full respect,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said of the Americans’ group stage foes. “But yes, believing that we can go through, but we need to perform. We need to evolve and be better every time that we are together.”

Mexico was drawn to open on June 11 in Mexico City against South Africa in Group A, which also includes South Korea and the winner of playoff games among the Czech Republic, Ireland, Denmark and North Macedonia. When South Africa hosted the tournament in 2010, it drew Mexico for its opening match and tied 1-1. South Africa then became the first host country to fail to advance from the group stage.

Forty-two of the teams have been determined and 22 are competing in playoffs for six berths that will be decided March 31.

Winners and second-place nations from the 12 groups advance to the new round of 32 along with the top eight third-place teams. All games from the quarterfinals on will be in the U.S., culminating in the July 19 final at East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Specific sites for all group stage games and kickoff times were to be announced Saturday.

England, which won its only title in 1966, plays Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L, and five-time champion Brazil meets Morocco, Haiti and Scotland in Group C.

Top-ranked Spain, the 2010 champion, faces Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in Group H, while four-time champion Germany plays Curaçao, Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E.

Two-time champion France plays Senegal, Norway and Bolivia, Iraq or Suriname in Group I — Senegal beat defending champion France 1-0 in the 2002 opener. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, like Messi expected to play in a record sixth World Cup, has Group K matches against Uzbekistan, Colombia and Congo, Jamaica or New Caledonia.

2026 World Cup draw groupings

GROUP A

Mexico
South Africa
Korea Republic
Winner of European Play-Off D

GROUP B

Canada
Winner of European Play-Off A
Qatar
Switzerland

GROUP C

Brazil
Morocco
Haiti
Scotland

GROUP D

United States
Paraguay
Australia
Winner of European Play-Off C

GROUP E

Germany
Curacao
Cote d’Ivoire
Ecuador

GROUP F

Netherlands
Japan
Winner of European Play-Off B
Tunisia

GROUP G

Belgium
Egypt
IR Iran
New Zealand

GROUP H

Spain
Cabo Verde
Saudi Arabia
Uruguay

GROUP I

France
Senegal
Winner of FIFA Play-Off Tournament 2
Norway

GROUP J

Argentina
Algeria
Austria
Jordan

GROUP K

Portugal
Winner of FIFA Play-Off Tournament 1
Uzbekistan
Colombia

GROUP L

England
Croatia
Ghana
Panama

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