USMNT 2026 World Cup draw reaction: Mauricio Pochettino gets favorable group but must overcome Paraguay

The U.S. men's national team has learned their World Cup group as Mauricio Pochettino's side was paired with Paraguay, Australia and a yet-to-be-determined European foe to start next summer's tournament. The USMNT's fourth opponent will be either Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo, who will face off in March's playoff.

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  Group stage opponents: Austrailia, Paraguay and TBD

  The U.S. were handed a fortunate draw with their Pot 2 team as they were matched up with a familiar opponent: Australia, who are ranked 26th in the world. That matchup comes on the heels of an October friendly that saw the U.S. defeat Australia, 2-1, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

  From Pot 3, the U.S. were given another familiar opponent: Paraguay, the 39th-ranked team. Like Australia, the U.S. played Paraguay in the fall, defeating the South American side, 2-1, in Philadelphia.

  And then finally, from Pot 4, after navigating some conditions, the USMNT were finally paired with one of the winners of the European Playoff C: Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo. 

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  Must-watch TV: Australia

  The USMNT's battle with Australia will be a fun one, largely because will no doubt show up. With the game being played in Seattle, Australia's fans should have a presence, as the West Coast is easier to travel to. 

  There's also some added juice from the fall, when the U.S. saw star Christian Pulisic injured after a series of hard fouls from Australia in their friendly match in Colorado. 

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  Dangerous matchup: Paraguay

  The game against Paraguay will be dangerous – and, if last month’s clash is any indication, perhaps quite literally. The two teams squared up just before the final whistle after a tense match, and you wouldn’t expect anything less once the World Cup starts.

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  Key opposition player: Arda Guler or Miguel Almiron

  This will surely depend on who gets in as that Pot 4 team. Should Turkey qualify, the U.S. would face off with their world-class young stars: Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz. Should Turkey not advance, the main man to stop would be Paraguay's Miguel Almiron, a familiar face for fans of Major League Soccer as he stars for Atlanta United.