The U.S. men’s national team’s return to the World Cup, which takes place this November and December in Qatar, will feature a challenging group stage rich in rematches and compelling narrative. The Americans were placed in Group B during Friday’s draw and will face England, Iran and a European qualifier still to be determined.
The U.S. will kick off its 11th World Cup and first since 2014 on Nov. 21 against either Wales, Scotland or Ukraine. Coach Gregg Berhalter’s team, which is the youngest to qualify for the tournament, then will play England in the third World Cup clash between the closely linked nations. The Americans will conclude the first round with a match against geopolitical rival Iran, which eliminated the U.S. from the 1998 tournament.
The exact World Cup schedule normally is decided by the draw, but FIFA was waiting for the specific matchups to be determined before selecting stadiums and kickoff times in Qatar.
