How Far Can The USMNT Go? Paraguay Opener Sets Tone For 2026 World Cup Campaign

USMNT’s Group D schedule

* Friday, June 12 — vs. Paraguay, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif., 9 p.m. ET

* Friday, June 19 — vs. Australia, Lumen Field, Seattle, Wash., 3 p.m. ET

* Thursday, June 25 — vs. Türkiye, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif., 10 p.m. ET

The U.S. is quite familiar with their three Group stage opponents, having played all on home soil in 2025. The U.S. dropped a 2-1 decision to Türkiye in East Hartford, Conn., on June 7. They also recorded a 2-1 win over Australia in Commerce City, Colo., on Oct. 14 and a 2-1 victory over Paraguay in Chester, Pa., on Nov. 15.

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U.S. World Cup Group Scenarios

Here are the four possibilities for the squad in the opening round, from best to worst-case scenarios.

* If the U.S. finishes atop the group, it will meet the third-place team from either Group B, E, F, I, J, Wednesday, July 1 in Santa Clara, Calif., in the Round of 32. Group winners will start on a less difficult path in the knockout round.

* If the team takes second place, it will play the Group G runners-up on Friday, July 3 in Arlington, Texas. If Iran finishes second in Group G, it could set up an intriguing match between the two countries.

* If the U.S. finishes third and is one of the top eight third-place teams, there are two possibilities. They could play Group E winners on Monday, June 29 in Foxborough, Mass., or the Group I winners in East Rutherford, N.J. on Tuesday, June 30. Germany is favored to win Group E, while France is expected to rule in Group I.

* If the U.S. in fourth place, they will be eliminated from the World Cup.

How To Watch The U.S. On TV And Streaming

Fans have several options to follow the U.S., whether on Fox or Telemundo. All games will also air on radio, on the iHeartRadio app and SiriusXM.

The Last Lineup

It can be a guessing game, trying to figure out who U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino will deploy in his starting XI.

Perhaps he gave a clue in his lineups during the 2-1 loss to Germany in Chicago:

Goalkeeper – Matt Freese

Center backs – Alex Freeman, Miles Robinson, Tim Ream

Wing backs – Antonee Robinson, Sergino Dest

Midfielders – Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman, Weston McKennie

Forwards – Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun

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Goalkeepers

Matt Freese and Matt Turner are vying for the starting job.

Many signs point to Freese, who has started the majority of U.S. matches over the past 12 months. Turner, who backstopped the team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, could not secure a starting position on a first division club in Europe and ultimately lost the job to Freese.

Chris Brady is the third-string goalkeeper and is not expected to play, unless there is a big emergency.

Defenders

The U.S. matches are expected to be tight and low-scoring affairs, so the backline will need to think on its feet for 90-plus minutes. Looking at the lineup against Germany, Pochettino might wind up using three center backs.

Chris Richards, who is considered to be the team’s best center back, said on Wednesday that he has recovered from his left ankle injury and can play against Paraguay. A healthy Richards would be welcomed on a team that has made too many mistakes and giveaways in the back. Captain and center back Tim Ream gives the team much experience in the back, but his speed can be suspect given his age (38). If Richards doesn’t start, either Alex Freeman or Miles Robinson likely will. Auston Trusty and Joe Scally are back-ups.

Wingbacks

Antonee Robinson (left side) and Sergino Dest (right side) will likely play offense and defense. They certainly excel at the former. Robinson has stood out as a goal-maker for his club team, Fulham. If he scores in the World Cup, Robinson would be a highlight reel with his double goal celebration flips. Dest loves to overlap on the right side, while Max Arfsten is an option off the bench.

Midfielders

Tyler Adams is a superb defensive midfielder. He can strip the ball away from a foe and help transform it into a quick goal opportunity. He could be flanked by Malik Tillman, Mr. Consistency, and Weston McKennie, who has proven he can play multiple positions.

Other possibilities off the bench include Gio Reyna, whose passing and finishing ability can open up the game, free-kick specialist Sebastian Berhalter, the son of former U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter, and Cristian Roldan, who is essentially Adams’ understudy.

Forwards

With Christian Pulisic putting his five-month goal-scoring drought behind him, he has one less worry. He is the USA’s most important attacking threat. Pulisic is most dangerous when he is running at defenders. He doesn’t need to fill the net, but the 27-year-old forward needs to be the fulcrum of the attack, whether it is setting up teammates for scoring goals.

It appears Pochettino will go with Folarin Balogun and Pulisic up front, with Ricardo Pepi, who forged an impressive reputation as a super sub at PSV Eindhoven, the first option off the bench. Haji Wright, who scored one of two goals for the USA at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, can also add some important punch to the attack.

Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah are listed as forwards on the roster, but they are versatile and can play at midfield, depending on what the USMNT needs.

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Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter’s perspective, has been published.