2026 FIFA Men's World Cup Groups Announced; USA Drawn with Paraguay, Australia, and UEFA Playoff Winner
FIFA revealed the 12 groups for the 2026 Men's World Cup on December 5, 2025, with the tournament featuring a record 48 teams split into groups of four. The USA will face Paraguay, Australia, and a UEFA playoff winner in Group D, while defending champion Argentina opens against Algeria in Group J. The complete match schedule and kickoff times will be released on December 6, 2025.
The 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup draw separated a record 48 participating teams into 12 groups of four teams each. The United States was drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of a UEFA playoff match to be decided in March 2026. Defending champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, will begin their title defense in Group J against Algeria, along with Austria and Jordan. The tournament will be hosted across North America with matches in 16 cities, including 11 U.S. venues spanning four time zones. FIFA stated that the match allocation process aims to ensure optimal conditions for all teams while accommodating global viewership across different time zones. The complete fixture list with all kickoff times and venues will be released on December 6, 2025, with the opening match scheduled for Mexico City's Estadio Azteca.
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- CBS NewsCenter
2026 FIFA Men's World Cup groups revealed; Team USA learns its opponents
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