The hosts have made an important change from their opening victory.
World Cup host nation USA will build on their sensational start in the championship when they face Australia in Seattle.
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The U.S. bolstered their belief in going far in the playoffs on home soil when they beat Paraguay 4-1 in the tournament opener.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have probably already done enough to secure progression to the play-offs, but they have ambitions to win the group.
Australia, who surprised 2-0 against Turkey, will try to be a difficult opponent for the United States. The Socceroos have done an outstanding job of withstanding pressure and countering in the opening match.
It should be a very interesting meeting in the Pacific Northwest, and 101GreatGoals has a full overview of the teams.
USA Team News
The United States makes one change from the win against Paraguay, and it is a significant one.
Ricardo Pepi comes in as Christian Pulisic is out with a calf injury.
United States (XI): Freese; Freeman, Richards, Ream, A. Robinson; Adams, Tillman; Dest, McKennie, Pepi; Balogun.
USA substitutes: Turner, Brady, Trusty, M. Robinson, Arfsten, McKenzie, Scally, Reyna, Berhalter, Roldan, Aaronson, Wright, Weah, Zendejas.
Australia Team News
Australia make two changes from the win over Turkey.
Nishan Velupillay and Matthew Leckie come into the team, replacing goalscorers Conor Metcalfe and Nestory Irankunda.
Australia (XI): Beach; Italiano, Circati, Souttar, Burgess, Bos; Velupillay, O’Neill, Okon-Engstler, Leckie; Toure.
Australia substitutes: Ryan, Izzo, Degenek, Geria, Trewin, Behich, Herrington, Metcalfe, Devlin, Irvine, Hrustic, Mabil, Irankunda, Volpato, Yengi.
How to watch USA vs Australia: TV channel and live stream
Kick-off on Friday is at 20:00 UK Time (21:00 Norwegian Time / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT). In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on BBC One.
Streaming on a variety of devices is available via the BBC iPlayer app and the BBC Sport website.
World Cup 2026: USA vs Australia – key figures
- This is the first World Cup meeting between the teams – they have previously played four friendly matches.
- The United States have won the last two head-to-head meetings: 3-1 in June 2010 and 2-1 in October 2025, when Haji Wright scored twice on assists from Cristian Roldan.
- The United States have won their last seven games played in Seattle, including all five games at Seattle Stadium.
- The victory over Paraguay was the USA’s biggest World Cup victory in terms of goal difference – and the first time they scored at least four goals in a World Cup match.
- The United States last won two World Cup games in a row in their first two matches at the very first World Cup tournament in 1930 – including a three-goal victory over Paraguay.
- Australia’s only previous World Cup match against a host country was in 1974, when they lost 0–3 to West Germany in Hamburg.
- Australia have won three of their last four World Cup matches – that’s more than they won in their first 17 World Cup matches combined (two wins, four draws, eleven losses).
- The victories have come despite the fact that they have conceded 31 more shots than they have created in these three games (26 shots for, 57 against).
- The 30 shots Australia conceded against Turkey were the second-highest number they have had to endure in a World Cup match, beaten only by 31 against West Germany in 1974.
- Nestory Irankunda became Australia’s youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer (20 years and 125 days) against Turkey, and could become the first player under the age of 21 to score in his first two World Cup matches since Memphis Depay for the Netherlands in 2014.
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