Australia team profile - FIFA World Cup 2026
In the build-up to FIFA World Cup 2026 in USA, Canada and Mexico, we shine a spotlight on Australia.
FIFA World Ranking: 27
Confederation: AFC
Who is Australia’s head coach for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Australia’s head coach for FIFA World Cup 2026 is Tony Popovic. The former Crystal Palace centre-back took charge in 2024, mid-way through Australia’s FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, taking over from now Iraq boss Graham Arnold.
Who is Australia’s captain for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Australia’s captain for FIFA World Cup 2026 is first-choice goalkeeper Mat Ryan, who has represented the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion, Arsenal, Real Sociedad and Roma across his career. He took on the Socceroos’ captains armband ahead of FIFA World Cup 2022 as they reached the round of 16 in Qatar.
How many times have Australia participated in a FIFA World Cup before 2026?
6 – 1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
What is Australia’s best performance at a FIFA World Cup?
Round of 16 – 2006, 2022
How did Australia qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Much like their qualification for Qatar, which required an Inter-Confederation Playoff victory against Peru, the Socceroos didn’t find qualifying for this tournament smooth sailing for much of it.
Beginning in the second round of AFC qualification, Australia romped home in Group I with 22 goals scored and none conceded, topping a group that consisted of Palestine, Lebanon and Bangladesh before facing a much tougher time of it in the third round.
After beginning the third round of qualifying with a defeat at home to Bahrain and then a goalless draw in Jakarta against Indonesia, Graham Arnold was replaced as head coach by Popovic.
Popovic began well with a come from behind win over China in Adelaide before sharing the spoils with a very strong Japan side in Saitama. The Australians eventually went through the rest of their qualifying campaign unbeaten after their loss to Indonesia, squeezing into the top two of Group C and automatically qualifying for FIFA World Cup 2026 with another come from behind win in the final game in Jeddah against Saudi Arabia, courtesy of goals from Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli) and Mitch Duke (Macarthur).
Who are Australia’s star players?
Australia have an emerging group of young attackers to excite their supporters with Nestory Irankunda, who is on loan at Watford from Bayern Munich, carrying the weight of expectation to North America, with a habit of scoring some real screamers.
As well as Irankunda, their real standout is full-back Jordan Bos (Feyenoord), who has been impressive in his debut season in the Eredivisie. They do also boast a fair bit of experience, too.
Aside from goalkeeper Mat Ryan (Levante), Australia will be reliant upon the leadership and experience of Jackson Irvine (St Pauli) and club teammate Metcalfe, as well as Ajdin Hrustic (Heracles Almelo) and Milos Degenek (APOEL Nicosia).
There is a fair bit of EFL pedigree and experience, too, with Riley McGree (Middlesbrough) likely to be key alongside Alex Robertson (Portsmouth) and Cameron Burgess (Swansea City).
Perhaps one man to really keep an eye on as a neutral will be winger Awer Mabil (Castellon), with the 30-year-old attacker having started his international career well back in the late-2010s before fading and now rallying back since enjoying an impressive stint in the Spanish second-tier.
Who is in Australia’s group at FIFA World Cup 2026?
USA
Paraguay
Australia
Turkiye
Australia’s Group D fixtures are as follows:
Australia v Turkiye: Saturday June 13, 2026 – 12:00am ET, 5:00am UK
USA v Australia: Friday June 19, 2026 – 3:00pm ET, 8:00pm UK
Paraguay v Australia: Thursday June 25, 2026 – 10:00pm ET, 3:00am UK (Friday)
All kick-off dates are based on a local kick-off time
Where is Australia’s base camp at FIFA World Cup 2026?
Oakland Roots/Soul Training Facility, Alameda, California
Expert prediction for Australia’s chances at FIFA World Cup 2026
Group D at FIFA World Cup 2026 does appear to be a very fun and open one, with hosts USA and two teams in Paraguay and Turkiye that are returning to the global stage with quite a lot of youthful quality.
Australia, unusually for them, are perhaps the team with recent FIFA World Cup pedigree; given that the Paraguayans haven’t been at the tournament since 2010, Turkiye even longer since 2002 and USA, while reaching the knockout stages in Qatar with Australia, missed out in Russia at FIFA World Cup 2018.
This is the Australians’ sixth successive FIFA World Cup and it wouldn’t be unreasonable to suggest their squad appears a bit stronger with more quality depth than three and-a-half years ago.
With it being wide open, we could be in for some really interesting and entertaining clashes – which may suit a Socceroos side that have a bit more experience and general willingness to try and control and contain. Getting through the group remains an achievement for Australia and while they may not go much further, they should be more than competitive this summer.
What round will Australia reach at FIFA World Cup 2026? Round of 32
