USA seek to maintain momentum against Australia

After a flying start, the USA looks to build on its opening win vs Australia.

SEATTLE – The FIFA World Cup 2026 continues with co-hosts United States hosting Australia in Group D on Friday, 3:00 PM ET (12:00 PM local) at Seattle Stadium in Seattle, Washington, USA.

The encounter will mark the first FIFA World Cup meeting between the two nations. Their four previous encounters were all friendlies, with the USA winning the last two.

USA is coming off a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in its World Cup opener in Los Angeles. Folarin Balogun led the way in scoring with a brace. The only players to score more for the USA in a single edition of the World Cup are Bert Patenaude (4 in 1930) and Landon Donovan (3 in 2010).

The result matched the biggest margin of victory at a World Cup for the Stars and Stripes. It also marked the first time the USA has scored four goals in a World Cup match. Mauricio Pochettino’s men will now look to become the first U.S. side to win consecutive matches in the tournament since the 1930 squad at the inaugural edition.

Australia arrives after a 2-nil win against Türkiye on Saturday in Vancouver, Canada. The Socceroos enjoyed a historic moment as Nestory Irankunda became the nation’s youngest ever World Cup scorer at 20 years and 125 days.

Seattle has led to good results for the USA, who has won its last seven matches in the Emerald City, including each of its five matches at Seattle Stadium. This will be the U.S.’s first match in the state of Washington in ten years.

Australia’s only previous match against a World Cup host came in 1974, where it lost 3-nil to West Germany in Hamburg.

United States vs Australia- Facts

• The USA and Australia are meeting at the World Cup for the first time. Their four previous encounters were all friendlies, with the USA winning the last two: 3-1 in June 2010 and 2-1 in October 2025 – the USA forward Haji Wright scored twice in the latter, from two Cristian Roldan assists.

• The USA have won each of their last seven matches played in Seattle, including each of their five matches at the Seattle Stadium. This will be their first match in Washington state in 10 years – their last game was on 16th June 2016, a 2-1 win against Ecuador.

• USA’s 4-1 win over Paraguay on MD1 was their joint-biggest margin of victory at the FIFA World Cup, and the first time they’ve scored 4+ goals in a match. They’re looking to win consecutive games at the tournament for the first time since their first two matches in the inaugural 1930 edition, one of which was a 3-goal victory over Paraguay.

• USA forced 16 high turnovers on MD1 in their 4-1 win over Paraguay, their second most in a FIFA World Cup match on record (17 vs IR Iran in 2022). They also applied 162 high pressures in the opposition half, the most of any side in Group D on MD1.

• Folarin Balogun bagged a brace against Paraguay in USA’s opening match. The only players to score more for USA in a single edition of the FIFA World Cup are Bert Patenaude (4 in 1930) and Landon Donovan (3 in 2010).

• No USA player applied more pressures (61) had more shots (5) or created more chances (3) in their win over Paraguay than Malik Tillman. Indeed, he was just the second USA player on record (since 1966) to register 5+ shots and 3+ chances created in a FIFA World Cup match after Clint Mathis against Poland in 2002 (5 shots, 6 chances created).