A showdown with host nation the USA awaits Australia at the 2026 World Cup but Tony Popovic’s side will need to wait until March to learn the identity of the European opponent they will play in their opening fixture.
After a long and at times bizarre ceremony at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC, the Socceroos were drawn in Group D, joining the co-hosts, Paraguay, and the winner of a European playoff featuring Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.
Those European playoffs will take place early next year, with Turkey and Romania playing in one semi-final, and Slovakia and Kosovo in the other on 26 March. The winners of those games will then meet on 31 March for a place at the World Cup.
Australia have never played Kosovo in an international fixture of any kind and only previously played friendlies against their other three potential European opponents – the most recent coming in 2013 when a Holger Osieck-led side lost 3-2 to Romania in Marbella, Spain.
Conversely, led by the former Argentina international Mauricio Pochettino, USA will prove familiar opposition for the Australians, it being just two months since the two played in a friendly in Denver, Colorado. Jordan Bos opened the scoring for the Socceroos in that contest, but it was the Americans who won 2-1 after goals from Haji Wright on either side of the half-time break.
Laying the seeds of narrative for their coming rematch, that was also a game in which physicality was a major theme; the American star Christian Pulisic was injured by a Jason Geria challenge in the first half, and US defender Chris Richards told media post-game that: “They’re lucky it was a friendly. I was ready to go. And if [the referee] didn’t give me a shit yellow in the corner, I probably would’ve killed somebody.”
Popovic expects more of the same in the reunion with the US next year. “The game was played in a very competitive spirit,” he said. “There was nothing friendly, really, about the match.
“We played well in the match, and we get to do it again, and this time, with a lot more at stake, at a World Cup against a host nation. So it’s quite special, and I’m sure it’ll be a fantastic match.”
Reaction to the draw from the American side has been quick to declare Group D as the “Group of Life” with one analysis describing the Socceroos as a “lay up” opponent from pot 2.
“I’m sure every Australian would disagree with that, and so we should, but I’m not surprised by those comments,” said Popovic. “If you’re the US and you look at the draw, you’re the host nation, you’re playing at home, and you want to fancy yourself to be able to get through.
“But that shouldn’t stop us from believing [we can] get through the group as well. We’ll go into it with a lot of optimism and confidence; I’m sure the boys are looking at the draw and can’t wait to get over there.
“[We] know that every part of our game will have to go to another level, which is also exciting. And I think anyone that underestimates us will get a rude shock when it comes to those group games.”
Australia have never lost to Paraguay in their five previous fixtures, recording two wins and three draws, but, as is the case with their potential European opponents, their meeting in North America will mark the first time they’ve played Los Guaraníes in a competitive contest.
The two nations last faced off in 2010, when a goal from David Carney led a Socceroo outfit coached by Pim Verbeek to a 1-0 win in Sydney. Four years earlier, now-coach Popovic’s international swansong came against the South Americans in Brisbane, with the defender scoring his eighth international goal in what ended as a 1-1 draw.
While Australia learned their group stage opponents and the dates of their games on Saturday, they’ll need to wait until Sunday to learn their venues and kick-off times, with Fifa set to unveil those in another live broadcast.
Elsewhere, New Zealand were drawn in Group G alongside Belgium, Egypt and Iran and England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L.
