The US Men's National Soccer Team won its first two group matches at the 2026 World Cup, defeating Paraguay 4-1 and Australia 2-0 to secure the top spot in Group D and a knockout berth with a game to spare [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
The 4-1 victory over Paraguay on June 12 matched the USA’s largest-ever men’s World Cup margin of victory. In that match, the USA employed a fluid and unconventional midfield and defensive setup that helped them dominate possession and generate four goals [1, 2]. Christian Pulisic suffered a left calf injury during the Paraguay match and has been sidelined since, working through individual training and rehabilitation [4, 6, 7, 8]. On June 23, Pulisic declared himself fit after three days of training, though head coach Mauricio Pochettino will decide if he will start or be eased back in during the final group stage game against Turkiye on June 25 [7, 8].
The USA won the second group game on June 19 with a 2-0 victory over Australia, further cementing their qualification for the knockout round [1, 3, 4]. Four key players—Chris Richards, Antonee Robinson, Tyler Adams, and Folarin Balogun—carry yellow cards and risk suspension if booked again in the final group stage match. To mitigate this risk, Pochettino plans significant rotation and rest for these players against Turkiye at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California [4, 6, 7, 8]. "I think it's an easy answer for the guys that have yellow cards," Pochettino said. "I think it's unnecessary to take a risk and then [they] take another yellow card and be not available for the next stage and I think that is a little bit [of a] normal and easy answer not to play with them from the beginning" [8].
Midfielder Cristian Roldan is also dealing with a muscle strain and is doubtful for the Turkiye match; further assessment is expected before the game [7, 8]. Goalkeeper Matt Freese deferred to the coach on lineup decisions, saying, "It's a coach's decision, obviously" [7]. The final group game, while not affecting advancement, will test the USMNT's depth on home soil, noted analyst Pardeep Cattry [5].
The USA will play Turkiye on Thursday, June 25, 2026, with kickoff at SoFi Stadium. The Round of 32 knockout match is set for July 1 in Santa Clara, California, marking the start of the next stage [4, 6, 7, 5, 8].
