Argentina and Lionel Messi will play Algeria to open their World Cup title defense as part of a group that also includes Austria

The United States drew a group composed of Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of European Play-Off C (which will be one of the Slovakia, Kosovo, Romania, and Türkiye contingent). The U.S. will open against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in California.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup officially took shape Friday with a star-studded draw led by Rio Ferdinand and assisted by Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge, Shaquille O’Neal and Tom Brady, setting the stage for the largest tournament in event history — and placing Los Angeles at the center of the action.

Associated PressEl seleccionador de Paraguay Gustavo Alfaro afirmó el viernes que será “trascendente” debutar en el Mundial de 2026 ante el coanfitrión Estados Unidos,

The United States will face Paraguay in its opening match in Group D, and Mexico will play South Africa in the tournament’s first game.