Who will Australia face in FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage?

This will be Australia’s seventh appearance in the FIFA World Cup.

Australia have qualified for the previous five FIFA World Cups and has been among the top Asian sides in recent years. Placed in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, let’s look at their opponents, notable players, and history in this renowned tournament.

Opponents in group stage:

• Pot 1 – United States of America
• Pot 2 – Paraguay
• Pot 3 – Australia
• Pot 4 – Turkey/Romania/Slovakia/Kosovo

The Socceroos have been grouped alongside hosts USA, Paraguay and winner of playoff C (Turkey/ Romania/ Slovakia/ Kosovo) in Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite being in pot three, they are better than pot two Paraguay in FIFA rankings and have a good chance of finishing second or one of the eight best third-place teams. An elimination from the group stage would be a disaster for the Asian country.

Coaches and key players:

Coach – Tony Popovic

Australia is coached by Tony Popovic, who has played for his nation more than 50 times. The former Crystal Palace center defender took over the Socceroos in September 2024 and went 11 games undefeated. Popovic is a practical coach who emphasizes defensive resilience. His 4-2-3-1 formation will be difficult for the rival sides to overcome.

Key Players – Mathew Ryan and Harry Souttar

When talking about the Australian football team, numerous European football followers immediately think of Mathew Ryan first. The former Brighton and Roma goalkeeper has made over 100 appearances for the Socceroos and is considered one of Asia’s top goalkeepers. In his four World Cup appearances last time, he made nearly 19 saves and was greatly acclaimed for his leadership and shot stopping prowess.

One of the country’s best players during their most recent World Cup tournament was Harry Souttar. Apart from being an excellent defender, Souttar has scored 11 goals in 37 games for the Socceroos, which is an excellent return for a defender. Due to an ACL injury, the 6’6″ centre back from Scotland hasn’t played in over a year. His form and recovery will be critical to Australia’s World Cup success.

Also Read: Who will Lamine Yamal’s Spain face in FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage?

How they qualified:

The Socceroos enjoyed a successful World Cup Qualifying campaign, qualifying as one of eight Asian nations. They won six of their six games in the second round and finished second in the third round, securing direct entry to the tournament.

2026 FIFA World Qualifiers (AFC) record:

Matches played: 16

Won: 11

Drawn: 04

Lost: 01

World Cup history:

This will be Australia’s eighth appearance in the coveted FIFA World Cup. After qualifying for the first time in 1974, they have made it to the tournament in each of the previous five editions. Their highest tournament accomplishment was reaching the Round of 16 in 2006 and 2022, when they were ousted by the winners of both editions.

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