Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup took place from June 12 to 25, 2026. The group consisted of the United States (co-host), Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. This also marked the return of Turkey and Paraguay to the World Cup finals, their first appearances since 2002 and 2010 respectively.
The United States were the second team to secure their place in the round of 32 after Mexico, and were guaranteed to top the group after two consecutive wins. Australia finished in second place, edging out Paraguay based on head-to-head goal difference. Paraguay's performance allowed them to advance as one of the eight best third-place teams, and would further advance into the round of 16 (all other third-place teams were eliminated by then).
Turkey exited the tournament after two consecutive defeats but managed to beat co-hosts the United States in their final group match.
Teams Draw position Team Pot Confederation Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings November 2025 June 2026 D1 1 CONCACAF Co-host February 14, 2023 12th 2022 Third place (1930) 14 17 D2 3 CONMEBOL CONMEBOL round robin sixth place September 4, 2025 9th 2010 Quarterfinals (2010) 39 41 D3 2 AFC AFC third round Group C runner-up June 10, 2025 7th 2022 Round of 16 (2006, 2022) 26 27 D4 4 UEFA UEFA second round Path C winner March 31, 2026 3rd 2002 Third place (2002) 25 22 Notes
Standings
In the round of 32: The winner of Group D, the United States, advanced to play the third-place team of Group B, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The runner-up of Group D, Australia, advanced to play the runner-up of Group G, Egypt. The third-place team of Group D, Paraguay, advanced to play the winner of Group E, Germany, as one of the eight best third-place teams from the group stage.
Matches All times listed are local, UTC−7 (PDT).
United States vs Paraguay
The teams had met nine times previously, including once in the World Cup, a 3–0 victory in the group stage for the United States in 1930, and most recently in 2025, a 2–1 win for the United States in a friendly. This match marked the United States' second victory on home soil, the other being 2–1 win over Colombia in the 1994 edition.
The United States went in front in the 7th minute when Damián Bobadilla stuck his foot out and inadvertently put the ball in his own net after a low from the left by Weston McKennie. It was 2–0 in the 31st minute when Folarin Balogun scored with a low side foot finish to the right after a pass from Christian Pulisic on the left. Balogun got his second goal of the game in added time in the first half when he scored with a left-footed shot to the top left corner of the net after cutting in from the right. Maurício pulled a goal back for Paraguay in the 73rd minute with a low finish to the right of the net. In the 98th minute, Giovanni Reyna made it 4–1 with a shot to the left of the net with the outside of his right leg from just inside the penalty area on the right.
With a brace, Folarin Balogun became the first American player to score more than once in a World Cup match since Bert Patenaude scored the tournament's first ever hat-trick in 1930. This also marked the first time the United States ever scored four times in a World Cup match.
GK 24Matt FreeseRB 16Alex FreemanCB 3 Chris RichardsCB 13Tim Ream (c)LB 5 Antonee RobinsonCM 4 Tyler Adams CM 17Malik Tillman RW 2 Sergiño Dest AM 8 Weston McKennieLW 10Christian Pulisic CF 20Folarin Balogun Substitutions:MF 14Sebastian Berhalter FW 21Timothy Weah FW 9 Ricardo Pepi MF 7 Giovanni Reyna Manager: Mauricio Pochettino GK 12Orlando GillRB 4 Juan José Cáceres CB 15Gustavo Gómez (c)CB 3 Omar AldereteLB 6 Júnior Alonso RM 8 Diego Gómez CM 14Andrés CubasCM 16Damián Bobadilla LM 10Miguel Almirón CF 9 Antonio Sanabria CF 19Julio EncisoSubstitutions:MF 11Maurício FW 18Álex Arce MF 7 Ramón Sosa FW 17Kaku DF 2 Gustavo Velázquez Manager: Gustavo Alfaro
Man of the Match: Folarin Balogun (United States)
Assistant referees: Hessel Steegstra (Netherlands) Jan de Vries (Netherlands) Fourth official: Yusuke Araki (Japan) Reserve assistant referee: Jun Mihara (Japan) Video assistant referee: Carlos del Cerro Grande (Spain) Assistant video assistant referee: Dennis Higler (Netherlands) Support video assistant referee: Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar)
Australia vs Turkey
The teams had played against each other twice previously, with Turkey winning both friendly matches played in May 2004. This was the only match in Group D held outside of the West Coast of the United States.
The fixture was Turkey's first World Cup game in 24 years, having reached the semi-finals in their previous appearance in 2002. Turkey captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu described his side as "more talented" than Australia in a press conference prior to the game, and predicted his side would dominate the game.
Socceroos coach Tony Popović made a controversial decision to drop seasoned goalkeeper and skipper Mathew Ryan from the starting lineup in favor of young goalkeeper Patrick Beach. In the 27th minute, Nestory Irankunda cut in from the left and scored with a low finish to the left to put Australia in the lead. Shortly after, Turkey almost equalized when a powerful strike by Abdülkerim Bardakçı was parried onto the post by Beach.
In the second half, despite mounting pressure from Turkey, Aussie midfielder Connor Metcalfe made it 2–0 when he cut in from the right before shooting low to the right corner of the net from outside the penalty area.
After the game, Çalhanoğlu maintained his team were better than Australia, regardless of the result. Irankunda, one of the goal scorers for Australia, admitted after the game that the comments were used as motivation by the Australian players.
Regarded as an upset victory, this was Australia's first win in an opening World Cup match since 2006, and their joint-largest overall victory to date.
GK 18Patrick BeachCB 3 Alessandro CircatiCB 19Harry Souttar (c)CB 21Cameron BurgessRWB4 Jacob Italiano LWB5 Jordan Bos RM 8 Connor MetcalfeCM 24Paul Okon-Engstler CM 13Aiden O'NeillLM 17Nestory Irankunda CF 9 Mohamed Touré Substitutions:FW 23Nishan Velupillay FW 26Tete Yengi DF 6 Jason Geria MF 22Jackson Irvine DF 16Aziz Behich Manager:Tony Popovic GK 23Uğurcan ÇakırRB 2 Zeki Çelik CB 3 Merih DemiralCB 14Abdülkerim BardakcıLB 20Ferdi KadıoğluCM 10Hakan Çalhanoğlu (c)CM 16İsmail Yüksek RW 8 Arda GülerAM 6 Orkun Kökçü LW 21Barış Alper Yılmaz CF 7 Kerem Aktürkoğlu Substitutions:FW 11Kenan Yıldız FW 19Yunus Akgün MF 5 Salih Özcan DF 18Mert Müldür FW 9 Deniz Gül Manager: Vincenzo Montella
Man of the Match: Nestory Irankunda (Australia)
Assistant referees: Jorge Urrego (Venezuela) Tulio Moreno (Venezuela) Fourth official: Kevin Ortega (Peru) Reserve assistant referee: Michael Orué (Peru) Video assistant referee: Tatiana Guzmán (Nicaragua) Assistant video assistant referee: Juan Soto (Venezuela) Support video assistant referee: Fu Ming (China)
United States vs Australia
The teams have faced each other four times before the tournament, most recently in 2025, a 2–1 win for the United States in a friendly.
Australia applied some early pressure and Mohamed Touré had a shot on goal after just 40 seconds, but it was comfortably saved by United States goalkeeper Matt Freese. Cameron Burgess committed an own goal in the 11th minute, and Alex Freeman headed the ball past Patrick Beach to make the score 2–0 just before halftime.
Australia coach Tony Popovic made three changes at half time, including bringing on Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, in an attempt to turn the game in Australia's favour. Cristian Volpato was later substituted on with half an hour left, replacing Mathew Leckie, who had been struggling with a hamstring injury. Volpato managed a shot on goal which went over the crossbar, and later Metcalfe shot directly at Freese.
Australia continued to struggle with creating any genuine chances throughout the match, and the United States comfortably defended their lead in the second half. With the win, the United States officially qualified for the Round of 32, becoming the second team overall to do so after Mexico.
GK 24Matt FreeseCB 16Alex FreemanCB 3 Chris Richards CB 13Tim Ream (c)RM 2 Sergiño Dest CM 8 Weston McKennie CM 4 Tyler AdamsCM 17Malik TillmanLM 5 Antonee Robinson CF 20Folarin Balogun CF 9 Ricardo Pepi Substitutions:MF 14Sebastian Berhalter DF 6 Auston Trusty DF 23Joe Scally FW 19Haji Wright MF 7 Giovanni Reyna Manager: Mauricio Pochettino GK 18Patrick BeachCB 3 Alessandro Circati CB 19Harry Souttar (c) CB 21Cameron Burgess RWB4 Jacob Italiano LWB5 Jordan Bos RM 7 Mathew Leckie CM 13Aiden O'NeillCM 24Paul Okon-Engstler LM 23Nishan Velupillay CF 9 Mohamed Touré Substitutions:DF 6 Jason Geria FW 17Nestory Irankunda MF 8 Connor Metcalfe FW 20Cristian Volpato MF 22Jackson Irvine Manager:Tony Popovic
Man of the Match: Folarin Balogun (United States)
Assistant referees: (Germany) (Germany) Fourth official: Katia Itzel García (Mexico) Reserve assistant referee: Sandra Ramírez (Mexico) Video assistant referee: Bastian Dankert (Germany) Assistant video assistant referee: (Morocco) Support video assistant referee: (Belgium)
Turkey vs Paraguay The teams have only met once before, in a scoreless draw of a friendly in 1995.
Turkey's loss confirmed their elimination from the tournament due to the head-to-head tiebreaker, making them the second team to be knocked out after Haiti, who became the first to be eliminated hours earlier following a 3–0 defeat against Brazil in Philadelphia. This marked their first early exit from a major tournament since UEFA Euro 2020, where they were also eliminated following two consecutive defeats. The result also confirmed the United States as the winner of the group due to the same tiebreaker. It was also the first time that Turkey failed to score in two consecutive World Cup matches.
Miguel Almirón became the first player to be sent off under FIFA's new law prohibiting players from covering their mouths during confrontations with opponents, receiving a straight red card after a VAR review following an altercation with Mert Müldür in the stoppage time of the first half.
With 32 shot attempts and no goals scored, Turkey surpassed Portugal’s 2006 quarter-final record of 31 shots for the most attempts in a single World Cup match without scoring. Combined with its 30 attempts against Australia, Turkey now holds the tournament record for the most shots without a goal across two consecutive matches, totaling 62 attempts.
After 64 seconds, Matías Galarza scored with a low left-foot shot from outside the penalty area into the right corner of the net to put Paraguay in front. The goal was the fastest goal of the tournament to date, surpassing the previous record of 71 seconds set by Morocco's Ismael Saibari against Scotland hours earlier in Boston.
GK 23Uğurcan ÇakırRB 18Mert MüldürCB 3 Merih DemiralCB 14Abdülkerim Bardakcı LB 20Ferdi Kadıoğlu CM 16İsmail Yüksek CM 10Hakan Çalhanoğlu (c)RW 19Yunus Akgün AM 8 Arda GülerLW 11Kenan YıldızCF 7 Kerem Aktürkoğlu Substitutions:FW 21Barış Yılmaz FW 26Can Uzun FW 9 Deniz Gül DF 13Eren Elmalı MF 6 Orkun Kökçü Manager: Vincenzo Montella GK 12Orlando GillRB 4 Juan José Cáceres CB 15Gustavo Gómez (c)CB 3 Omar AldereteLB 6 Júnior AlonsoCM 14Andrés CubasCM 8 Diego Gómez RW 10Miguel Almirón AM 19Julio Enciso LW 23Matías Galarza CF 25Isidro Pitta Substitutions:MF 16Damián Bobadilla DF 2 Gustavo Velázquez DF 26Alexandro Maidana FW 21Gabriel Ávalos DF 13José Canale Other disciplinary actions: — Carlos González Manager: Gustavo Alfaro
Man of the Match: Matías Galarza (Paraguay)
Assistant referees: David Morán (El Salvador) Henry Pupiro (Nicaragua) Fourth official: Oshane Nation (Jamaica) Reserve assistant referee: Caleb Wales (Trinidad and Tobago) Video assistant referee: Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar) Assistant video assistant referee: Tatiana Guzmán (Nicaragua)