GROUP D
Top 40. All four.
USA
#16 FIFA
Turkey
#22 FIFA
Australia
#27 FIFA
Paraguay
#40 FIFA
24 RANKING PLACES · TIGHTEST AT WC26
Group D.
The only group at this World Cup where every single team is ranked in the world's top forty.
No minnows.
No giants.
Twenty-four ranking places.
The tightest squeeze of the tournament.
THE TWIST · TWO ARGENTINES
Argentine vs Argentine
Pochettino
USAvs
Alfaro
Paraguay12 JUN · SoFi · Two passports, one opener
Here's a wrinkle nobody is talking about.
Two of the four head coaches in Group D are Argentine.
Mauricio Pochettino on the United States bench.
Gustavo Alfaro on the Paraguay bench.
And they meet, Argentine versus Argentine, in the opening match.
June twelfth.
SoFi.
Same passport.
Different mission.
USA · HOST NATION
United States
USA · HOST NATION
4-2-3-1
Formation
8 GAMES
Pulisic drought
1930
Last semi-final
Head Coach
Mauricio Pochettino
The hosts.
Pochettino's project.
A four-two-three-one with a high press.
Pulisic the creative hub.
Balogun the nine.
McKennie box-to-box.
Adams the anchor.
The deepest squad in U S history.
The catch.
Two heavy losses in March.
Five-two to Belgium.
Two-nil to Portugal.
And Pulisic on an eight-game international goal drought.
The target is the semis.
The United States have not been there since nineteen thirty.
USA · KEY PLAYERS
Four to watch
1/4
USA · CAPTAIN
Christian Pulisic
27
Age
AC Milan
Club
~80
Caps
8-GAME
Drought
★ Pochettino's creative axis. Eight consecutive USMNT games without a goal — the drought he must end.
Christian Pulisic.
The captain.
Twenty-seven years old.
A C Milan.
Around eighty caps for the United States.
Pochettino's number ten and the creative axis of the team.
Three Serie A goals through March twenty twenty-six.
Eight consecutive international games without a goal.
The drought he must end.
USA · NUMBER 9
Folarin Balogun
24
Age
AS Monaco
Club
20
Caps
8
L1 Goals
★ New York-born, England-raised. Switched to USA May 2023. The first-choice 9 Pochettino was waiting for.
Folarin Balogun.
The number nine.
Twenty-four years old.
AS Monaco in Ligue 1.
Twenty caps for the U S A after switching from England in May twenty twenty-three.
New York-born, England-raised.
Eight Ligue 1 goals through March.
The first-choice striker Pochettino has been waiting for.
USA · BOX-TO-BOX
Weston McKennie
26
Age
Juventus
Club
~55
Caps
5G/3A
Serie A
★ Five Serie A goals and three assists this season. The engine that runs box to box.
Weston McKennie.
The box-to-box.
Twenty-six years old.
Juventus.
Around fifty-five caps.
Five Serie A goals and three assists this season.
The midfield engine that runs from box to box.
USA · ANCHOR
Tyler Adams
27
Age
Bournemouth
Club
~50
Caps
BACK
From injury
★ Captain when Pulisic is rested. Recovered from a spring 2025 hamstring injury that almost ended his season.
Tyler Adams.
The anchor.
Twenty-seven years old.
AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League.
Around fifty caps.
Captain when Pulisic is rested.
Recovered from the spring twenty twenty-five hamstring injury that almost ended his season.
The midfield protector.
AUSTRALIA · SOCCEROOS
Australia
AUSTRALIA · SOCCEROOS
3-4-2-1
Formation
6TH
Straight WC
MILLER OUT
Right WB
Head Coach
Tony Popovic
Australia.
Sixth straight World Cup.
Tony Popovic in charge.
A three-four-two-one.
Wing-back dependent.
Set-piece danger from Souttar.
Irankunda the wild card.
The strength is the culture.
The same Socceroos team that pushed Argentina to one-two in Qatar.
The weakness is the depth.
Lewis Miller, the first-choice right wing-back, is ruled out.
AUSTRALIA · KEY PLAYERS
Four to watch
1/4
AUSTRALIA · CAPTAIN · GK
Mathew Ryan
34
Age
AS Roma
Club
120
Caps
MESSI PEN
Saved
★ Saved a Lionel Messi penalty in the round of sixteen in Qatar. Australia's most-capped goalkeeper.
Mathew Ryan.
The captain and goalkeeper.
Thirty-four years old.
A S Roma in Serie A.
One hundred and twenty caps, Australia's most-capped goalkeeper.
Saved a Lionel Messi penalty in the round of sixteen in Qatar.
The leader, the talker, the anchor.
AUSTRALIA · CENTRE-BACK
Harry Souttar
27
Age
Sheffield Utd
Club
6'6"
Height
4
Goals/corners
★ Six-foot-six. Australia's biggest set-piece threat at both ends. Four international goals from corners.
Harry Souttar.
The centre-back.
Twenty-seven years old.
Sheffield United.
Six-foot-six.
Around forty caps.
Australia's biggest set-piece threat at both ends.
Four international goals from corners.
AUSTRALIA · ENGINE
Jackson Irvine
32
Age
FC St. Pauli
Club
~70
Caps
10G
Last 2 BL
★ Captain when Ryan is rested. Ten goals across his last two Bundesliga seasons.
Jackson Irvine.
The midfielder.
Thirty-two years old.
F C Sankt Pauli in the Bundesliga.
Captain when Ryan is rested.
Around seventy caps.
The engine in midfield.
Ten goals across his last two Bundesliga seasons.
AUSTRALIA · WILD CARD
Nestory Irankunda
19
Age
Bayern Munich
Club
TZ→AUS
Born/Chose
WILD
Card
★ Nineteen. Tanzania-born, Adelaide-raised. The youngest player in Australia's squad and the wild card off the bench.
Nestory Irankunda.
The winger.
Nineteen years old.
Bayern Munich.
Tanzania-born, Adelaide-raised.
Around eight caps.
The youngest player in Australia's squad and the wild card off the bench.
PARAGUAY · LA ALBIRROJA
Paraguay
PARAGUAY · LA ALBIRROJA
4-4-2
Low block
10 GA
in 18 quals
14 GF
Lowest CONMEBOL
Head Coach
Gustavo Alfaro
Paraguay.
First World Cup in sixteen years.
Gustavo Alfaro's four-four-two.
Low block.
Direct counters.
Ten goals conceded in eighteen qualifiers.
A fortress.
But just fourteen scored.
The lowest in South America.
There is no Plan B.
PARAGUAY · KEY PLAYERS
Four to watch
1/4
PARAGUAY · NUMBER 9
Antonio Sanabria
30
Age
Cremonese
Club
~50/11
Caps/Goals
ES→PY
Born/Chose
★ Spanish-born, Asunción-raised. The lone striker who must convert what little Paraguay create.
Antonio Sanabria.
The number nine.
Thirty years old.
Cremonese in Serie A. Spanish-born, Asunción-raised.
Around fifty caps, eleven goals.
The lone striker who must convert what little Paraguay create.
PARAGUAY · CAPTAIN
Miguel Almirón
32
Age
Newcastle Utd
Club
~50
Caps
PL
Pace
★ Premier League pace and set-piece quality. Paraguay's most decorated current player.
Miguel Almirón.
The captain and right winger.
Thirty-two years old.
Newcastle United.
Around fifty caps.
Premier League pace and set-piece quality.
Paraguay's most decorated current player.
PARAGUAY · CB · LEADER
Junior Alonso
32
Age
Flamengo
Club
~60
Caps
BEST GA/90
CONMEBOL
★ Conceded the fewest goals per match of any CONMEBOL defender across qualifying.
Junior Alonso.
The centre-back.
Thirty-two years old.
C R Flamengo in Brazil.
The leader of the low block.
Around sixty caps.
Conceded the fewest goals per match of any CONMEBOL defender across qualifying.
PARAGUAY · CB · TARGET
Gustavo Gómez
32
Age
Palmeiras
Club
~60
Caps
CLEAN SHEET
vs USA
★ The other half of Paraguay's qualifying-best back four. The man who must keep one clean sheet against the USA.
Gustavo Gómez.
The other centre-back.
Thirty-two years old.
Palmeiras in Brazil.
Around sixty caps.
The other half of Paraguay's qualifying-best back four.
The man who must keep one clean sheet against the U S A.
TURKEY · CRESCENT
Turkey
TURKEY
4-2-3-1
Formation
24 YRS
Since last WC
PATH C
UEFA play-off
Head Coach
Vincenzo Montella
11.0″
ŞÜKÜR · 2002 · FASTEST WC GOAL
68 m
GÜLER vs ELCHE · 14 MAR 2026 · LONGEST LA LIGA GOAL
Turkey.
First World Cup in twenty-four years.
Vincenzo Montella's four-two-three-one.
The creative axis.
Çalhanoğlu, Güler, Yıldız.
Genuinely world-class.
Turkey qualified the hard way.
The UEFA Path C play-off.
Beat Romania one-nil.
Then Kosovo one-nil.
Aktürkoğlu's ninetieth-minute winner sent them through.
TURKEY · KEY PLAYERS
Four to watch
1/4
TURKEY · CAPTAIN · REGISTA
Hakan Çalhanoğlu
32
Age
Inter Milan
Club
100
Caps
2×
Serie A titles
★ Two Serie A titles with Inter. The deep-lying midfielder who runs Turkey's tempo and takes every set-piece worth taking.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu.
The captain and regista.
Thirty-two years old.
Inter Milan.
One hundred caps.
Two Serie A titles with Inter.
The deep-lying midfielder who runs Turkey's tempo and takes every set-piece worth taking.
TURKEY · NUMBER 10
Arda Güler
20
Age
Real Madrid
Club
~20
Caps
68 m
La Liga record
★ Scored from sixty-eight metres against Elche in March 2026 — the longest goal in La Liga history.
Arda Güler.
The number ten.
Twenty years old.
Real Madrid.
Around twenty caps.
The kid who scored from sixty-eight metres against Elche in March twenty twenty-six.
The longest goal in La Liga history.
The future of Turkish football, in the present.
TURKEY · WINGER
Kenan Yıldız
21
Age
Juventus #10
Club
DE→TR
Born/Chose
8G
Serie A
★ German-born to Turkish parents, chose Turkey over Germany. Eight Serie A goals this season.
Kenan Yıldız.
The winger.
Twenty-one years old.
Juventus, where he wears the number ten.
German-born to Turkish parents, chose Turkey over Germany.
Eight Serie A goals this season.
The other half of Turkey's young creative axis.
TURKEY · RIGHT-BACK
Mert Müldür
26
Age
Fenerbahçe
Club
~35
Caps
WIDTH
Provider
★ The defensive width that lets Güler and Yıldız tuck inside. Turkey's most consistent full-back across the cycle.
Mert Müldür.
The right-back.
Twenty-six years old.
Fenerbahçe.
Around thirty-five caps.
The defensive width that lets Güler and Yıldız tuck inside.
Turkey's most consistent full-back across the cycle.
THE CHOSEN ONES
The chosen flag
→
Balogun
→
Yıldız
→
Sanabria
→
Irankunda
Four players in this group could have worn another shirt.
Folarin Balogun, born in New York, raised in England, chose the U S A. Kenan Yıldız, born in Germany to Turkish parents, chose Turkey.
Antonio Sanabria, born in Spain, chose Paraguay.
Nestory Irankunda, born in Tanzania, raised in Adelaide, chose Australia.
Group D is the group of the chosen flag.
GENERATIONAL GAP
Same team. 15 years.
19
Irankunda
Australia · Youngest
SAME TEAM
34
Ryan
Australia · Captain
One number tells the story.
Nineteen.
Irankunda, Australia's youngest.
Thirty-four.
Ryan, Australia's captain.
The youngest star and the oldest captain on the same team.
THE FIXTURES
6
Matches
13
Days · Jun 12 → Jun 25
USA
TUR
AUS
PAR
Now the matches.
GROUP D · FIXTURES
Six matches
1/6
MATCH 1 · 12 JUN
USA vs Paraguay
12 JUN 2026
USA
VS
Paraguay
SoFi Stadium · Inglewood CA
OPENER · ARGENTINE DERBY
★ Pochettino vs Alfaro on the touchline. The hosts open at home.
Match one.
June twelfth.
SoFi Stadium.
The U S A versus Paraguay.
The Argentine derby on the touchline.
MATCH 2 · 13 JUN
Australia vs Turkey
13 JUN 2026
Australia
VS
Turkey
BC Place · Vancouver BC
ONLY CANADIAN GROUP D
★ Popovic's wing-backs against Çalhanoğlu's tempo. The lone Canadian Group D fixture.
Match two.
June thirteenth.
B C Place in Vancouver.
Australia versus Turkey.
The only Canadian Group D match.
MATCH 3 · 19 JUN
USA vs Australia
19 JUN 2026
USA
VS
Australia
Lumen Field · Seattle WA
BALOGUN vs SOUTTAR
★ Balogun against Souttar in the air. Aerial duel of the matchday.
Match three.
June nineteenth.
Lumen Field in Seattle.
The U S A versus Australia.
Balogun against Souttar in the air.
MATCH 4 · 19 JUN
Turkey vs Paraguay
19 JUN 2026
Turkey
VS
Paraguay
Levi's Stadium · Santa Clara CA
GÜLER vs THE BLOCK
★ Güler's creativity against Paraguay's low block.
Match four.
June nineteenth.
Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
Turkey versus Paraguay.
Güler against the low block.
MATCH 5 · 25 JUN
Turkey vs USA
25 JUN 2026
Turkey
VS
USA
SoFi Stadium · Inglewood CA
THE DECIDER
★ Whoever wins this likely wins Group D. SoFi, second time of the group.
Match five.
June twenty-fifth.
SoFi again.
Turkey versus the U S A.
The decider.
MATCH 6 · 25 JUN
Paraguay vs Australia
25 JUN 2026
Paraguay
VS
Australia
Levi's Stadium · Santa Clara CA
RACE FOR 2ND
★ Played simultaneously with Turkey vs USA. The race for second decides who survives.
Match six.
June twenty-fifth.
Levi's again.
Paraguay versus Australia.
The race for second.
WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN
4 key actions
USA
Pulisic ends 8-game drought
Turkey
Güler wins midfield duel at SoFi 25 Jun
Paraguay
Gómez keeps one clean sheet vs USA
Australia
Souttar wins one set-piece per game
Forget the odds.
Here is what each team actually needs.
The U S A need Pulisic to end his drought.
Eight games without a goal for the captain cannot become eleven.
Turkey need Güler to win the duel at SoFi on the twenty-fifth.
If the twenty-year-old runs the midfield against Adams, Turkey win the group.
Paraguay need Gómez to keep one clean sheet against the hosts.
One point in L A changes the math.
Australia need Souttar to win one set-piece per game.
That is their cleanest path to the round of sixteen.
THE DECIDER
25 JUN
SoFi · Inglewood
VS
GROUP D FINAL DAY
The hinge is June twenty-fifth.
SoFi Stadium.
Turkey versus the United States.
Win that, win Group D. Lose it, finish second, and meet whoever tops Group A in the round of sixteen.
Mark the date.
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