World Cup Returns to the United States After 32 Years

The World Cup is set to return to the United States for the first time in 32 years. The U.S. Men’s National Team will begin the tournament on Friday as one of the host nations, sharing this honor with Canada and Mexico.

The U.S. men’s team, which participated in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after missing the 2018 event in Russia, will start their tournament play on the second day. They are part of Group D and will play at least three matches in the group stage during June.

Group Stage Matches

• June 12: The U.S. plays Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, at 9 p.m. ET.
• June 17: The U.S. faces Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle at 3 p.m. ET.
• June 25: The U.S. meets Turkey again at SoFi Stadium at 10 p.m. ET.

Ahead of this highly anticipated event, the U.S. team posed for a photo against Germany during an international friendly match at Soldier Field in Chicago on June 6, 2026.

Knockout Stage Progression

The knockout stage will start on June 28. During this phase, the top two teams from each group, along with the eight best-performing third-place teams, will advance to the round of 32.

The U.S.’s progression in the knockout stage will depend on their group-stage performance. If they win Group D, they will compete on July 1 at 8 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. If they secure the runner-up position, they will play on July 3 at 2 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.

The subsequent rounds include the round of 16 from July 4 to July 7, quarterfinals on July 9 and 10, semifinals on July 14, and the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

In total, the World Cup will feature 48 teams, competing in 104 matches over the course of 39 days. For the latest news and highlights of the tournament, you can visit CBSSports.com.