The United States face Australia tonight at Lumen Field in Seattle in their World Cup 2026 Group D opener, with kick-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. Pacific. For the United States, playing on home soil in what is already the most-watched World Cup in American history, the match carries the weight of a nation’s expectations.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino is expected to field a 4-3-3 formation with Christian Pulisic in the left of the front three, Giovanni Reyna centrally, and Timothy Weah on the right. Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams anchor the midfield alongside Yunus Musah. The back four is set with Sergiño Dest at right back, Tim Ream and Miles Robinson in the centre, and Antonee Robinson at left back. Matt Turner starts in goal.

Pulisic is the player around whom most of the American hope is concentrated. The AC Milan forward has 34 international goals and has been in good form for club and country, scoring twice in the USA’s final two warm-up matches in May. If the United States are to make a deep run, his ability to create and score in high-pressure moments will be central to their prospects.

Australia come in under manager Tony Popovic, who took charge of the Socceroos 14 months ago after their group stage exit at the 2024 Asian Cup. They qualified comfortably through the AFC confederation and carry a squad that blends experience — including the 35-year-old captain Mat Ryan in goal and veteran winger Awer Mabil — with younger players from the A-League and from European clubs. Their key threat comes through Jackson Irvine from midfield and Brighton striker Mitch Dennis up front.

The Socceroos have historically been competitive against top-tier opposition at World Cups. Their run to the last 16 in 2022, where they beat Denmark and pushed Argentina hard before losing 2-1, showed the spirit and organization that characterizes their best performances. Popovic has asked his team to focus on their defensive shape first and exploit transitions, a pragmatic approach suited to a side that knows it is the underdog against the host nation.

Lumen Field holds 69,000 for football. Tickets have been sold out since January. The American support will be loud, and Seattle itself has one of the more vibrant soccer cultures in the United States, home to MLS side Seattle Sounders, who average more than 40,000 fans per match.

Group D also contains Iran and the Netherlands. The Netherlands, widely considered the group’s strongest side, play Iran simultaneously tonight in Atlanta. A US win paired with a Dutch win would put the Americans in a strong position heading into their second group match against the Netherlands on June 23. Scotland and Morocco play the night’s other Group E match at the same venue later in the evening.

Pochettino said at his pre-match press conference Thursday that his team had prepared thoroughly and was ready for the challenge. He said the home crowd was a motivation the players needed to honor with their performance. He stopped short of predicting the outcome but said he expected the United States to win. Mexico’s early qualification from Group A has set a high bar for North American hosting nations in the tournament, and US soccer fans will be expecting a statement performance tonight.

The match will be broadcast on Fox, Telemundo, and various streaming platforms in North America. US Soccer has partnered with major cities to set up public viewing events at 23 locations nationwide, including Times Square in New York and Grant Park in Chicago, where tens of thousands of fans are expected to gather regardless of the weather.