USA World Cup draw 2026: USMNT group results, schedule, roster, coach and more to know

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Set to play main hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the United States are entering a pivotal moment in their men’s national team history.

Having previously hosted in 1994, the U.S. will hope that this time around a positive showing on home soil will push the popularity of the team and sport in this country to its highest level ever, and engineer a springboard for global growth which U.S. Soccer craves.

Led by head coach Mauricio Pochettino and superstar Christian Pulisic, the USMNT has experienced a massive growth spurt of talent, but has yet to make good on that individual development at the team level.

The Sporting News details what the U.S. will face at the 2026 World Cup, who will carry them through this monumental tournament, and how they’ve performed throughout World Cup history.

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USA World Cup draw Group D

As hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the United States were pre-drawn out of Pot 1 into Group D.

This is a traditional process, as the host of every World Cup is given Pot 1 treatment, and is pre-drawn into a group ahead of time to maximize the home nation’s positioning amongst the venues and bracket.

They were then drawn alongside Australia (FIFA #26) from Pot 2, Paraguay (FIFA #39) from Pot 3, and a to-be-determined UEFA playoff qualifier from Pot 4, from which either Slovakia, Kosovo, Turkey, or Romania will join the group.

It’s an extremely kind draw for the 2026 co-hosts, who secured two of the lower-ranked sides from Pot 2 and 3 and grabbed arguably the easiest of the four UEFA pathways from Pot 4. 

Group D match schedule

Note that the full list of match venues and times will be updated by FIFA on Dec. 6, post the World Cup draw.

MORE: Predicting USA’s path out of Group D and into World Cup knockouts

USA all-time World Cup groups

The United States have participated in 11 World Cup tournaments prior to hosting the 2026 competition.

Across those 11 events, the U.S. has won its group on two occasions, while finishing second three times. They won their group in 1930 at the inaugural World Cup, and did so again in 2010 by beating England to the top spot.

Since then, they have finished second twice, qualifying for the knockout stage on their last three attempts.

MORE: An overview of the 2026 USMNT schedule | Look back at the 2025 USMNT schedule

USA World Cup snapshot

The United States entered the World Cup draw ranked 14th in the world, which would have put them in Pot 2 had they not been automatically a Pot 1 team due to their status as co-hosts.

Their best finish came all the way back at the 1930 World Cup, when they reached the semifinals of the inaugural tournament, ultimately coming in third.

However, their progression to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup is largely considered the team’s best result, as it is their most memorable showing of the modern era.

• Current FIFA World Ranking: No. 4 (November 2025)
• World Cup titles: 0 (Best finish: 3rd place — 1930)
• World Cup appearances (last): 11 (Qatar 2022)
• How USA qualified: Automatic (co-hosts)
• World Cup record:
  • Games: 37 GP (9 W, 8 D, 20 L)
  • Goal differential: -26 (40 GS, 66 GA)

MORE: Full roster projection and breakdown for the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup

USA World Cup 2026 preview

As the main hosts of the World Cup, the pressure will be on this United States team to carry the sport forward in this country, in the hopes of establishing itself amongst the premiere footballing nations in the world.

USMNT fans have dreams of being considered one of the best national teams in the world, and while they understand that is a decades-long process, this opportunity to take a leap in that regard cannot be passed up.

After being eliminated in the group stage of the 2024 Copa America, U.S. Soccer fired Gregg Berhalter and unloaded a record investment into hiring Mauricio Pochettino as head coach knowing they cannot accept failure in 2026.

• Star Players: Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams
• Players to Watch: Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, Folarin Balogun

MORE: A full, detailed breakdown of Mauricio Pochettino’s tactics with the U.S. national team

Who is USA head coach?

After the U.S. flopped in the 2024 Copa America, a change was made at head coach, relieving Gregg Berhalter of his duties and turning over the keys to one of world football’s most premiere coaches in Mauricio Pochettino. It was an expensive move — the most expensive in the history of the federation, by a mile — but one that came with exceptional promise, and expectations.

Hired in his first international head coaching position, Pochettino has formerly taken charge of European club giants Tottenham, PSG, and Chelsea in his illustrious coaching career. He is known as a tactical innovator, and a good squad motivator.

In the lead-up to the World Cup, Pochettino has done a significant amount of experimenting, both at the player and tactical levels. He has rotated heavily through a large number of players, hoping to get a good look at the available talent pool, while also tinkering with the formation and tactics. This led to mixed on-field results, including multiple defeats to Mexico and a failure to secure trophies at either the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League or the 2025 Gold Cup.

In the fall of 2025, Pochettino seemingly landed on one tactical approach, using a 3-4-2-1 in possession that morphs into a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 out of possession.

• Manager (Nationality): Mauricio Pochettino (Argentina)
• Date hired: September 10, 2024
• Record as national team manager (W-D-L): 13-2-7
  *As of the conclusion of November, 2025 matches
• Major titles since hire: 0
  *Reached the final of the 2025 Gold Cup, and the semifinals of the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League
• Notable victories:
  • USA 2-0 Japan (Sep. 9, 2025 — International friendly)
  • USA 5-1 Uruguay (Nov. 18, 2025 — International friendly)

MORE: A detailed look at Mauricio Pochettino’s contract and salary with the United States men’s national team

USA roster at the World Cup 2026

The national team is anchored by Christian Pulisic, who is undoubtedly the most talented player in USMNT history. The presence of Chris Richards, Weston McKennie, and Antonee Robinson makes this U.S. squad the strongest ever, but they have to prove they can reach new heights on the field before this generation can be anointed as the greatest the national team has had.

As it has been for years, the benchmark for the USMNT at the World Cup has always been reaching the quarterfinals. They have only done so once in the modern history of the tournament, in 2002, when they beat Mexico in the Round of 16. As such, it stands that the United States men have never won a game against a non-CONCACAF opponent in the World Cup knockout stage. Reaching that level is the goal at this tournament, and anything less on home soil would be considered not only a disappointment, but a massive missed opportunity.

USA predicted starting XI (formation: 3-4-2-1)

Freese (GK)

Ream, Richards, A. Robinson

Weah, Adams, Tessmann, Dest

Pulisic, McKennie

Balogun

Strengths: 

• Forwards: Once considered a huge weakness of this squad not long ago, the United States has a bevy of attacking talent to call upon. It starts with Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun, both of whom are firing on all cylinders for both club and country this season. Past that, there is Tim Weah, Ricardo Pepi, and Malik Tillman, all of whom have proven their value under Mauricio Pochettino.

• Midfield: While the depth in midfield is lacking compared to four years ago, the individuals who are considered the foremost starters are at their highest level yet. Tyler Adams is a difference-maker for an established Premier League side in Bournemouth, while Weston McKennie proves a valuable and versatile asset at Juventus. Tanner Tessmann has emerged as a strong possession-minded starter, while Johnny Cardoso looks to prove himself after a move to Atletico Madrid.

Weaknesses: 

• Goalkeeper: For decades, the United States churned out top-tier goalkeepers even while the national team as a whole floundered. That narrative has flipped now, as the U.S. has found itself severely lacking in this regard. With 2022 starter Matt Turner failing to impress at the club level in recent  years, Matt Freese has emerged as the likely World Cup starter, just as much thanks to the lack of competition as his own performance.

• Fitness: For years, the U.S. has struggled to keep its best players all fit and firing at the same time. Christian Pulisic has struggled with hamstring injuries, while Gio Reyna continues to see his club career stunted by repeated soft tissue problems. Tim Weah, Antonee Robinson, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams also have missed time for either injury or load management. It has left fans wondering who will be available when the World Cup comes around, and who could find themselves on the shelf.

USA roster for 2026 World Cup

Below is a projected 26-man roster for the 2026 World Cup. This will be updated when the squad is officially announced by U.S. Soccer closer to the start of the tournament.

For a full explanation of this predicted roster as well as other players who remain in contention for a place at the 2026 World Cup, click here.

*Caps correct as of November 19, 2025

USA World Cup qualifying results

The United States did not have to contest qualification to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, since they automatically qualified as co-hosts along with Canada and Mexico.

USA all-time World Cup qualifying leaders

Here is a breakdown of their all-time leaders in World Cup qualifying matches throughout USMNT history.

USA World Cup history

The United States have appeared in 11 World Cup tournaments in their history, with the 2026 competition set to be their 12th.

While their official best finish is the 1930 tournament, as they achieved a third-place result in the first-ever World Cup, that tournament was invite-only with organized international football still in its fledgling stage.

The 2002 quarterfinal showing is generally thought of as the best-ever finish in USMNT history, at least at a modern edition of the tournament. That result is the only time the U.S. has reached the quarterfinals of a modern World Cup, beating Mexico in their only-ever Round of 16 win.

Their subsequent 1-0 defeat to Germany in 2002 featured an infamous blown refereeing decision that would have potentially seen the U.S. advance to the semifinals. Consequently, the nation has never beaten a non-CONCACAF opponent in the knockout stage of a modern World Cup.

• World Cups appearances: 11
• Best finish: 3rd place (1930)
• All-time goals scored: 40
• All-time goals conceded: 66
• All-time record (W-D-L): 9-8-20