World Cup, FIFA and USA
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The United States will open the 2026 World Cup with an opponent it had some fireworks with in November. The USMNT drew Paraguay for their first match on June 12, 2026 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. When the two sides played a match that was supposed to be friendly on Nov. 15, tensions flared with a late-match brawl.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will begin on June 11 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, with a matchup between host nation Mexico and Group A challenger South Africa. In 2010, South Africa became the first African nation to host a World Cup.
FIFA changed the draw for 2026 to create separate pathways to the semifinals for the four-highest ranked teams: Spain, Argentina, France and England. That means if Spain and Argentina win their groups, the world's Nos. 1 and 2 teams can not meet prior to the final.
In the buildup to the World Cup, the U.S. will play two friendlies in March, against Portugal and Belgium in Atlanta. They will then play two more tune-up matches on May 31 in Charlotte (against a to-be-determined opponent) and June 6 in Chicago (against Germany) as they prepare for their June 12 opener.
Follow live coverage as teams are drawn for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer.
It's a statement victory for the USMNT as they stretched their unbeaten run to five games to end 2025. They've hit their stride under Mauricio Pochettino, and no matter who is in the lineup, an identity is forming. Let's take a look at the goals:
Logic suggests that ultimate glory is beyond the grasp of the USMNT. That's not stopping the team from dreaming big
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tyler Adams has set a bold goal for the U.S. soccer team, aiming to reach the World Cup semifinals for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1930.
The 2026 Word Cup is approaching next summer and most of the biggest soccer stars will arrive in the United States, Canada and Mexico to represent their national teams at the best tournament in the world that takes place every four years.
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