Australia's schedule in Group D – World Cup 2026
In Group D, Australia will begin their journey with encounters against familiar rivals. These include Türkiye (ranked 22nd in FIFA), a versatile European representative; the USA (ranked 16th in FIFA), the host nation with formidable strength; and Paraguay (ranked 40th in FIFA), an opponent from South America.
Match Day |
Match times (Vietnam time) |
Match pair |
June 14, 2026 |
11:00 |
Australia vs Turkey |
June 20, 2026 |
02:00 |
Australia vs USA |
June 26, 2026 |
09:00 |
Australia vs Paraguay |
Tony Popovic: From football legend to the manager of the Socceroos
Taking charge since the end of 2024, Tony Popovic – a player with over 50 caps for the national team – has brought a new lease of life to the team. He has built a disciplined yet flexible defensive system, based on the abundant physical fitness of young players currently playing in Europe.
The arduous journey to secure a ticket to North America.
Australia secured their place at the 2026 World Cup after an emotional AFC qualifying campaign. Under coach Popovic, the team experienced a strong resurgence in the third qualifying round, highlighted by a crucial 1-0 victory against Japan in Perth.
Australia secured their qualification after a dramatic 2-1 victory over Saudi Arabia in Jeddah, thanks to goals from Connor Metcalfe and Mitch Duke, helping them finish second in the group convincingly.
Australia's performance in various World Cups
- Federation: AFC
- Position in the FIFA rankings (April 2026): 27
- Best performance: Round of 16 (2006, 2022)
- First participation: West Germany 1974
- Number of times participated: 7 times (1974, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
- Overall statistics: Played 20 matches, won 4, drew 4, lost 12; scored 17 goals and conceded 37 goals.
Glorious chapters of history
Australia's two appearances in the knockout stage have both left a strong impression:
2006: A "golden generation" featuring Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill advanced to the round of 16, only to be stopped by eventual champions Italy after a dramatic penalty in the final minute.
In 2022: The Socceroos set a record by winning two matches in a single World Cup for the first time (against Tunisia and Denmark) to advance to the knockout round against Argentina in Qatar.
However, Australian football also experienced a 32-year World Cup drought (from 1974 to 2006) before becoming a regular participant in the world's biggest tournament.
Tim Cahill - An enduring icon: With 5 goals scored across 3 consecutive World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014), he is the greatest goalscorer in Australian history at this tournament.
In addition, goalkeeper Mathew Ryan and forward Mathew Leckie also hold the record for the most appearances for the national team in final tournaments with 10 matches each.
The biggest wins in history.
Comeback victory against Japan 3-1 (2006): Germany 's first World Cup win with three goals in the final eight minutes, creating a sensation in the tournament.
Defeating Serbia 2-1 (2010): A courageous victory despite Australia being eliminated early due to an inferior goal difference.
Australia enters the 2026 tournament with a mission to break their own limits. Combining the experience of veterans like Mathew Ryan with the youthful energy of new stars, the Socceroos are ready for a journey to conquer new heights in North America.