This is it. The World Cup is coming home - and for a generation of American soccer fans, 2026 is different in so many ways. The soccer landscape in the US is unrecognizable compared to the last time the tournament was here, with the successes of the women’s team and the MLS becoming a well established pro-league attracting global stars. The USMNT now has an elite coach in Mauricio Pochettino, who has a young, confident squad playing in front of home crowds at a World Cup for the first time in 32 years. Can they take the US soccer legacy to another level? 

Group D is where it all starts. Here's who the USA faces, what to expect, and how to get the whole family involved in the biggest soccer event in American history.

Group D: Who Are the USA Playing?

The USMNT have been drawn into Group D alongside Paraguay (June 12), Australia (June 19), and Turkey (June 25). The USA go in as favourites to progress, but every game at a home World Cup carries its own unique pressure. On paper it's a tough group, but can the USMNT go through as winners?

Paraguay: The Opener Sets the Tone

Opening World Cup games are everything. The atmosphere will be electric, the nerves real, and Paraguay will come into the game looking to cause an upset. Expect a well-organised South American side that is hard to break down and dangerous on the counter - with one-time MLS MVP, Atlanta FC’s Miguel Almiron leading the attack.

The USA's key advantage is energy and pace. Get the ball wide, get crosses in, and use the speed of players like Pulisic and Weah to stretch Paraguay's defensive shape. An early goal would be huge - it settles the crowd and changes the game completely.

One to watch: Julio Enciso. The Strasbourg midfielder is Paraguay's most dangerous attacking weapon - technically sharp, quick, and capable of producing something from nothing. He has a thunderous long-range shot and the kind of unpredictability that can unsettle any defence.

Australia: The Socceroos Will Be Ready

Don't underestimate Australia. They qualified through a playoff process that tests resilience, and their squad has genuine quality, especially in midfield. The Socceroos play with a high intensity and are not afraid of big games.

Game two is where momentum gets built. Win against Paraguay and back it up here, and the USA are through to the knockouts with a game to spare. That scenario - playing a relaxed third group game with progression already secured - is exactly what Maricio Pochettino will be targeting.

One to watch: Jackson Irvine. The St Pauli vice-captain is the engine of Australia's midfield - tenacious, hard to dispossess, and capable of driving forward at the right moments. He sets the tempo for everything the Socceroos do and will be central to how this game is contested.

Turkiye: The Game Three Test

Turkiye secured their spot in Group D by winning their playoff against Kosovo in March. They are not a team to take lightly. With players like Arda Guler pulling strings in midfield and Kenan Yildiz providing a creative threat in attack, Turkiye has genuine quality across the squad. By game three, the USA will want to have progression wrapped up. If that is the case, this becomes a chance to manage minutes and prepare for the knockouts. If not, this becomes a very tricky game. 

One to watch: Arda Guler. The Real Madrid midfielder is one of the most technically gifted players in this tournament. He operates between the lines and can change a game in a single moment.

What the USMNT Need to Progress

Nine points from nine would be the ideal outcome, but six points - two wins from three - is enough to virtually guarantee a top two finish. The USA's best version is fast, direct, and relentless in pressing. When they play with freedom and belief, they are genuinely difficult to stop. 

The atmosphere at the home matches will be unlike anything these players have experienced in international soccer. That energy, channeled right, can be a massive advantage.

Train Like Pulisic in Your Backyard

Christian Pulisic didn't get to where he is by accident. The footwork, the quick turns, the clinical finishing - those skills start in the backyard, with a ball, a goal, and the determination to keep going until it's right.

This summer, while you are watching the USMNT light up stadiums across the country, get the kids outside doing the same. A QUICKPLAY portable goal and rebounder is all it takes to turn your backyard into a proper training ground. The rebounder sends the ball back every time, so a solo session feels like a real workout. Add some cones for a dribbling course and you have got a setup that would make any youth academy proud.

Try this Pulisic-inspired drill: set up three cones in a line leading to the goal, weave through them as fast as you can, and finish with your strong foot. Then your weak foot. Then chip it. It's harder than it looks, and the kids will be at it all afternoon.

Start by browsing the QUICKPLAY goals range and get your backyard set up before June 12.