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The U.S. men's national team has already booked its spot in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup, but it could also clinch Group D outright on Friday with some help from Paraguay.
The Stars and Stripes entered this summer's tournament expected to finish second in their group, behind pre-tournament favorites Türkiye. However, Mauricio Pochettino's side currently leads the standings with six points following two commanding victories over Paraguay and Australia to open their campaign on home turf.
Türkiye, meanwhile, sits pointless after a shocking 2–0 loss to the Socceroos in their World Cup debut. Arda Güler and company have an opportunity to regroup and claim their first victory when they face Paraguay on Friday evening in Santa Clara, but no side will be hoping for their downfall more than the USMNT.
Indeed, there's a scenario in which the host nation could wrap up top spot in Group D before even squaring off against Türkiye on Thursday, June 25.
Group D Standings
Standing | Team | PL | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | USMNT | 2 | +5 | 6 |
2 | Australia | 2 | 0 | 3 |
3 | Türkiye | 1 | -2 | 0 |
4 | Paraguay | 1 | -3 | 0 |
*Türkiye and Paraguay kick off on Friday at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.
How the USMNT Can Win Group D on Friday
The Stars and Stripes already handled their business in Seattle. An own goal from Australian center back Cameron Burgess, forced by Folarin Balogun, combined with a perfectly timed header from Alex Freeman guided Pochettino's squad to a 2–0 victory over the Socceroos.
Now, the USMNT needs Paraguay to deliver against Türkiye. So long as La Albirroja avoid defeat under the lights at Levi's Stadium, the host nation will officially claim the group.
If Paraguay wins, Türkiye remains on zero points and cannot mathematically catch the USMNT. Even if the match ends level, Türkiye will carry just one point into the final round of group fixtures next week. A victory over the Stars and Stripes would still leave Vincenzo Montella's men with a maximum of four points, making a first-place finish impossible.
Should Paraguay do the USMNT a favor, the Americans could finish the group on six points even if they go on to defeat Australia next week. The Stars and Stripes could also remain on six points in the event of a loss to Türkiye, but they hold the head-to-head advantage courtesy of their 4–1 thrashing of Paraguay last week.
The same applies to Australia should it beat Paraguay in its final group match to reach six points. The USMNT's 2–0 victory gives the Americans the upper hand.
What Happens If Türkiye Defeats Paraguay?
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
If Türkiye picks up all three points against Paraguay, the Group D winner will remain undecided heading into next week. Montella's side could then go on to beat the USMNT and finish the group stage with six points.
Türkiye and the U.S. would be tied on six points, but the former would hold the head-to-head advantage.