FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group D Preview 

With just days to go for the World’s biggest football tournament to get up and running, we continue with our Group Previews to give you the lowdown on the teams that are participating in the tournament and how they stack up against the rest along with their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition.

Today we take a look at Group D and the teams in it.

FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group D Teams 

• USA (CONCACAF) 
• Paraguay (CONMEBOL)
• Australia (AFC) 
• Turkiye (UEFA)

The run-in

USA

The co-hosts did not have to go through a qualifying campaign, but that has not deterred them from being in the spotlight for a myriad of reasons. From alleged unrest to the coaching appointment of Mauricio Pochettino in 2024, they have been in the news. While the results have been there under the Argentine head coach, with 13 wins in 22 games, there have been misgivings about his possession-heavy style of play which slows down the tempo of the attacks. With a home crowd backing them, the USMNT will hope to go deep into the tournament.

Paraguay

La Albirroja, who will be playing in the World Cup after 16 years, had a rather mixed qualification campaign. After staring down the barrel in the first half of the campaign with just 1 win, the appointment of Gustavo Alfaro brought about a stunning revival and an equally incredible change in fortunes, going on a run of 6 wins and 4 draws in their final 11 games to seal qualification. The last time they played the World Cup, they made the Round of 16, and they will be looking to emulate the same, if not going one step further.

Australia

The Soccerroos are another team whose qualification campaign was characterised by a rocky start which eventually gave way to a strong revival. The midway resignation of Graham Arnold and the appointment of Tony Popovic gave a new lease of life to their stuttering campaign which eventually culminated in their qualification. This will be their sixth consecutive appearance in the tournament and they will be looking to surprise quite a few of them.

Türkiye

The Turks qualified for their first World Cup since 2002, where they memorably finished 3rd against all odds. Having finished second in their qualifying group behind Spain, they had to go through the path of the playoffs to face Romania and Kosovo, who they defeated with relative ease under the astute guidance of head coach Vincenzo Montella.

How each team stacks up

On paper, the USMNT have everything it takes to make a deep run in what is their home tournament. Players with experience in playing Europe’s top leagues, a manager who has coached some of the top teams and won top prizes, and a home support that will be behind them for the vast majority of this campaign. They will be counting on a sizable array of stars who can make a difference at any given point. The likes of Westin McKennie, Tyler Adams, Timothy Weah, Christian Pulisic, and Folarin Balogun will all be entrusted to provide attacking thrust and leadership to a relatively young side.

Paraguay will set themselves up in a compact 4-4-2 that brought them success under the stewardship of Alfaro, but they will be reliant on the attacking skill and sorcery of cult hero Miguel Almiron and Julio Enciso, with their skills and quality in 1v1 giving them an edge over many.

Australia do not have the star names or any of their players in the big leagues, but what they lack in starpower, they more than make up for in discipline and intensity as a well-drilled side who will look to make life difficult for their opponents with physicality and robust defending.

Turkiye are a bit of an underdog side, given that they possess two of the most precocious and talented youngsters in world football: Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz, both of them who are touted to take the World Cup by storm. Apart from these two, the likes of Merih Demiral, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Caglar Soyuncu will provide steel and experience along with their leadership.

Who makes it out of Group D?

From the get-go, it looks like a straight tussle between the USA and Turkiye for that top spot. These are two sides that boast superior squad quality, are led by two well-respected and highly-regarded coaches in the game, and are looking to make a mark on this tournament. USMNT take top spot with Turkiye finishing 2nd

Paraguay and Australia will complete the group, but expect each and everyone to make this group that much more competitive.

Prediction

USA (1st)
Turkiye (2nd)
Paraguay (3rd)
Australia (4th)