The U.S. men’s national team knows its path through the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 5.
Led by star player Christian Pulisic and manager Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT will hope for an extended run on home soil, as they host the tournament alongside Concacaf rivals, Canada and Mexico. There's plenty of confidence with the USMNT as well, after ending 2025 with five games undefeated.
At the time of the draw, the USMNT ranked 14th in the FIFA rankings and were placed in Pot 1, avoiding several of the world’s top teams in the group stage. However, they will have to wait until the UEFA Playoffs in the March international window to learn their final group stage opponent, which will be one of Turkïye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo.
Here's everything you need to know about the USMNT’s path to hopeful World Cup glory in 2026.
USMNT’S 2026 FIFA World Cup Group Stage Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 12, 2026 | USMNT vs. Paraguay | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood |
| June 19, 2026 | USMNT vs. Australia | Lumen Field, Seattle |
| June 25, 2026 | UEFA Playoff Winner C vs. USMNT | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood |
How the USMNT Qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The USMNT punched their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as co-hosts alongside Canada and Mexico, automatically qualifying for the tournament and seeding in Pot 1, ensuring no group-stage matchups against the world’s top-ranked nations.
Where Could the USMNT Play Knockout Games?
The U.S. men's national team will play every match of its 2026 FIFA World Cup journey on home soil, unlike Canada and Mexico, which would shift away from their home matches should they advance past the round of 16. Yet, there are several different pathways that the USMNT could go on, depending on group stage positioning.
If the USMNT win Group D
- Round of 32: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara
- Round of 16: Lumen Field, Seattle
- Quarterfinal: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood
- Semifinal: AT&T Stadium, Arlington
- Final: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
If the USMNT finish second in Group D
- Round of 32: AT&T Stadium, Arlington
- Round of 16: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Quarterfinal: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
- Semifinal: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Final: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
If the USMNT qualifies as a third-place team
- Round of 32: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough or MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford or Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
- Round of 16: TBD
- Quarterfinal: TBD
- Semifinal: AT&T Stadium, Arlington or Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- Final: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as USMNT’s 2026 World Cup Schedule: Full List of Matches, Locations.
