WASHINGTON — Friday’s World Cup draw couldn’t have gone significantly better for U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino. In a star-studded two-hour ceremony held on the Kennedy Middle, People have been grouped with Paraguay and Australia, groups they beat within the final two months, together with the winner of a European playoff that includes Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.
“We’ve already done the homework because it’s fresh,” Pochettino mentioned. “We know them but they know us. The most important thing is evolution and improving in all the areas for us to be sure that, in our debut, we will be stronger than today.
“I’ve been looking forward to the World Cup. We start today.”
Subsequent summer time’s event, which is able to kick off June 11 in Mexico Metropolis with Mexico dealing with South Africa, would be the largest, most advanced single-sport competitors in historical past, with 48 groups enjoying 104 video games throughout three nations earlier than the July 19 last in East Rutherford, N.J.
It’s going to even be the primary World Cup to be performed within the U.S. in 32 years. And for the gamers, which means every part.
“You can’t ask for anything better. It’s what we dreamed of as kids,” ahead Christian Pulisic mentioned. “It’s important to go into it with the mentality that we’re just going to enjoy it. We’re going to try to take in the whole experience.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
The U.S. is ranked 14th on the planet; of the six different groups drawn into its group, solely Turkey is within the prime 25. That would appear to make the trail to the knockout stage a bit simpler.
The People will open the event towards No. 39 Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12, then face Australia in Seattle on June 19 earlier than returning to Inglewood to shut out group play towards the playoff winner June 25. The highest two groups in every of the 12 four-team teams, plus the eight-best third-place groups, advance to the second spherical.
If the U.S. wins the group, it could keep in California to play a third-place workforce in Santa Clara, setting it on a street that may take it to Seattle for the spherical of 16 then again to SoFi Stadium for the quarterfinals, a stage the U.S. has reached simply as soon as within the trendy period.
Midfielder Tyler Adams mentioned nobody is mapping out that journey simply but.
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Kevin Baxter shares his ideas on the USA’ path within the 2026 World Cup and what groups might need the hardest trek in group play.
“There’s no easy game in a World Cup,” he mentioned. “In fact, I think some of our hardest games in the previous World Cup were against the lesser opponents. But it’s fun knowing that we’ve played some of these opponents before.”
Ending second would see the workforce play its first knockout recreation in Dallas and, ought to it win that, head to Atlanta for the spherical of 16.
“I’m sure you’d expect the U.S. to be a favorite,” mentioned Tony Popovic, coach of Twenty sixth-ranked Australia. “They’d expect to go through as a host nation, playing at home. If that’s the case, I’m happy for them — as long as we’re with them and join them.”
Pochettino, nonetheless, mentioned he received’t be distracted by discuss the group is a straightforward one, as a result of anticipating to win and truly doing so are two various things.
“To the people who say ‘you have to win’ before you even play — no,” he mentioned in Spanish. “In soccer you don’t win on the bus. You win when you earn it on the field.
“For that reason we have to show a lot of respect — full respect — for our opponents.”
Group of Demise? Extra like Group of Mildly Uncomfortable 
France, a World Cup finalist in 2022, can be enjoying in arguably the hardest group on the 2026 World Cup.
(Kevin Dietsch / Getty Pictures)
If the U.S. bought a positive draw, the identical can’t be mentioned for France, which was grouped with Senegal, Norway (and Erling Haaland) and the survivor of an interconfederation playoff that includes Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq. It’s not fairly a Group of Demise, nevertheless it’s in all probability essentially the most aggressive quartet to return out of Friday’s draw.
Different sturdy teams embrace Group C, topped by five-time champion Brazil and Morocco, a semifinalist 4 years in the past, and Group H, with event favourite Spain and Uruguay, which made the quarterfinals in two of the final 4 World Cups.
Defending champion Argentina will play in Group J towards Algeria, Austria and Jordan, none of whom are ranked among the many prime 23 on the planet.
With eight third-place groups qualifying for the knockout rounds for the primary time in World Cup historical past, the margin of error within the first spherical has by no means been larger, which means groups may have an opportunity to beat one poor recreation — and even two — and nonetheless advance.
There’s no place like residence for Mexico
Mexico made it to the quarterfinals within the first two World Cups performed in Mexico, a historical past that coach Javier Aguirre is nicely conscious of as a result of the final time it occurred, in 1986, Aguirre began at midfield in El Tri’s last recreation.
So with the event returning to Mexico subsequent summer time, Aguirre is hoping to get the workforce again to the ultimate eight.
“When we’re playing at home, we’re very excited,” the coach mentioned in Spanish.
However first to make it anyplace close to the quarterfinals, Mexico must get by way of a gaggle that features South Africa, South Korea and the winner of a European playoff that includes Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic or Eire.
“It’s not an easy group,” mentioned Aguirre, whose workforce closed the 12 months winless in its final six tries. “These are interesting games, with many different styles and we’re going to prepare ourselves to face it.
“We can’t underestimate anyone.”
Profitable the group would give Mexico the possibility to play its first two knockout video games at residence earlier than touring to South Florida for the quarterfinals. Ending second would put it on monitor to go Los Angeles, then Houston — two closely Mexican markets — for its subsequent two video games. On that monitor, its quarterfinal could be in Foxborough, Mass.
South Korea, captained by LAFC ahead Son Heung-min, has certified for 11 consecutive World Cups, a streak crushed solely by Germany, Brazil, Spain and Argentina. South Africa final performed within the event in 2010, when it hosted the occasion.
Trump will get peace prize 
FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents President Trump with FIFA’s newly created peace prize earlier than the beginning of the World Cup draw on Friday.
(Stephanie Scarbrough / Related Press)
Earlier than Friday’s draw started, FIFA chief Gianni Infantino introduced President Trump with FIFA’s first Peace Prize, a transfer many interpreted as a gesture by Infantino to curry favor with Trump, whose cooperation can be key to a profitable World Cup.
Infantino, who introduced the creation of the annual award final month, praised Trump’s actions “to pursue peace around the world,” together with his work in bringing a couple of ceasefire in Gaza.
“This is what we want from a leader, a leader that cares about the people,” he mentioned. “We want to live in a safe world. That’s what we do here today. That’s what we do at the World Cup, Mr. President. And you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way.”
Trump thanked Infantino, calling the award “one of the great honors of my life.”
Give ‘em a break
Record heat and humidity spoiled last summer’s FIFA Membership World Cup, with temperatures topping 90 levels for a lot of afternoon video games, hampering play and leaving some gamers in misery. Consequently FIFPRO, the union representing the gamers, known as for higher scheduling and extra hydration breaks for the World Cup — and FIFA seems to be listening.
World Cup organizers are reportedly contemplating mandating water breaks for each halves of each recreation, even for matches performed indoors.
