Group D predictions: FIFA World Cup 2026
by Alex Lawes ·
Updated
As we build up to FIFA World Cup 2026, Group D comes under the spotlight as we assess the prospects of the USA, Paraguay, Australia and Turkiye.
Fixtures
Matchday 1
USA vs Paraguay
Australia vs Turkiye
Matchday 2
USA vs Australia
Turkiye vs Paraguay
Matchday 3
Turkiye vs USA
Paraguay vs Australia
Click here for a full breakdown of kick-off dates and times for FIFA World Cup 2026!
Group D is perhaps the most evenly matched of all 12 groups at FIFA World Cup 2026 with no clear and definitive favourite as co-hosts USA get set to welcome Turkiye, who qualified via the UEFA playoffs, a now perennial qualifier in Australia and South American nation Paraguay.
The USMNT have arguably underwhelmed in the last couple of years since the appointment of former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino. They have some real quality in their squad but perhaps lack a bit of depth, especially in midfield, albeit home advantage really should help them navigate at least the avoidance of defeat on a couple of occasions at the minimum.
Vincenzo Montella is in charge of a Turkiye side that reached the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2024 and look even better than then with the further development of the likes of Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz. Back at a FIFA World Cup for the first time since reaching the semi-finals in 2002, Turkiye will believe they can cause a stir in North America.
Australia are heading into what is their sixth successive FIFA World Cup and the experienced Socceroos will seek to play into that in order to make themselves extremely difficult to beat. They have been improved since the appointment of Tony Popovic and can fall back on the know-how of getting through the groups, as they did in Qatar three and a half years ago.
Paraguay were extremely difficult to beat in CONMEBOL qualification, suffering just two defeats in 13 matches after the appointment of Gustavo Alfaro. With an experienced back-line and some intriguing young attackers, they too could find themselves in a good spot to progress.
The lack of all-round quality in Paraguay’s squad may be their undoing, as well as the order of their matches with the possibility of facing a fired-up USA in their opener, which is a tough prospect in such an even group.
Being difficult to beat will play into the hands of the Australians as will keeping the goal difference intact, with potentially three draws being enough to get through the group stage. With that in mind, we believe that three of these four countries will get themselves into the knockout stages with Montella’s Turkiye and joint-hosts United States heading things up.
Predicted group placements
1st: Turkiye
2nd: USA
3rd: Australia
4th: Paraguay
