Doha, Qatar – December 5, 2025 - The United States men’s national soccer team will confront Australia, Paraguay, and the victor of a European playoff involving Turkey, romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo in the group stage of the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup. The draw,conducted today in Doha,sets the stage for a challenging path for the Americans as they co-host the tournament alongside Canada and Mexico.
This marks the first time the World Cup will feature 48 teams, a meaningful expansion from the conventional 32-nation format. The increased participation aims to provide more opportunities for nations across the globe to compete on the sport’s biggest stage, and the united states’ group presents a diverse set of opponents wiht varying levels of experience. The tournament’s expanded structure and the inclusion of playoff winners add an element of unpredictability to the early stages.
Group F will consist of netherlands,Japan,the winner of a playoff between Ukraine,Sweden,Poland,and Albania,and Tunisia. Group G features Belgium,Egypt,Iran,and New Zealand. Group H includes Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. france, Senegal, the winner of a playoff between Iraq, Bolivia, and Suriname, and Norway comprise Group I. Argentina, Algeria, Austria, and Jordan will compete in Group J. Group K is made up of Portugal, the winner of a playoff between Congo DR, Jamaica, and New Caledonia, Uzbekistan, and Colombia, while Group L will see England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama battle for advancement.
