Group D

USA’s home pressure versus history

The Americans open at SoFi Stadium on June 12 against Turkey, a rematch of their 2002 quarterfinal loss. Gregg Berhalter’s side must navigate expectations: no host has failed to advance since South Africa 2010. Their 3-0 win over Paraguay in a 2023 friendly means little — Marcelo Bielsa’s chaotic high press transforms games. Australia’s aerial threat from set-pieces (scoring 38% of goals this way since 2022) complicates Dallas’ June 18 clash.

Turkey’s dark horse credentials

Vincenzo Montella’s young squad — led by Arda Güler’s creativity and Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s set-pieces — topped a tough UEFA qualifying group. Their 3-2 win over Germany in November proved they can outplay elite sides. But defensive lapses persist: they’ve kept one clean sheet in nine matches. Atlanta’s June 24 showdown with Paraguay could decide advancement, with both likely battling for third.

The third-place equation

Paraguay’s 1-0 win over Brazil in World Cup qualifying showed their counterattacking threat via Miguel Almirón, but scoring droughts plague them. Australia’s reliance on crosses meets Turkey’s shaky fullbacks. Four points might secure advancement — the Socceroos’ opener against Paraguay in Mexico City on June 13 is pivotal. Check live third-place standings as Group D unfolds.

Standings

#	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	Paraguay	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Turkey	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	United States	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Fixtures

Match	Date	Group	Score	Status
United States vs ParaguayEstadio Los Angeles	Fri, Jun 12, 2026 · 02:00 ET	d	–	Scheduled
Australia vs TurkeyBC Place	Sun, Jun 14, 2026 · 05:00 ET	d	–	Scheduled
United States vs AustraliaEstadio Seattle	Fri, Jun 19, 2026 · 20:00 ET	d	–	Scheduled
Turkey vs ParaguayEstadio San Francisco Bay Area	Sat, Jun 20, 2026 · 04:00 ET	d	–	Scheduled
Turkey vs United StatesEstadio Los Angeles	Fri, Jun 26, 2026 · 03:00 ET	d	–	Scheduled
Paraguay vs AustraliaEstadio San Francisco Bay Area	Fri, Jun 26, 2026 · 03:00 ET	d	–	Scheduled

Qualification rules

Top two in Group D advance to the Round of 32. Third place enters the pool of twelve third-placed teams; the best eight on points, goal difference, and goals scored join the knockout bracket.

Scenarios

Use the predictor below to test scorelines. A win is three points, a draw one. Goal difference matters when points are level.