Whether you follow the Socceroos closely or tend to jump back on the bandwagon every four years, the World Cup is a time like no other in the football world. Every edition comes with its own quirks and changes, and this one in the United States, Mexico and Canada is no different. This handy guide contains everything you need to know about following the Socceroos from Australia. (All times are AEST.)
When does the World Cup start?
If you’re finding it hard to believe that it’s been four years since the last men’s World Cup, that’s because it hasn’t been. The 2026 World Cup will start on Friday 12 June, which is just under three-and-a-half years since the 2022 tournament in Qatar – which was held later to avoid the heat.
This year’s edition returns to the traditional mid-year timeslot, opening at 5am on 12 June with co-hosts Mexico playing South Africa at Mexico City Stadium. The tournament will run for six weeks, ending with the final on 20 July with a 5am kick-off at New York/New Jersey Stadium.
Which countries are hosting the World Cup?
Along with Mexico and the US, Canada is the third co-host in 2026 - the first time three nations have shared hosting responsibilities. South Korea and Japan were the first and only other co-hosts in 2002, which some Australians may remember fondly for its agreeable kick-off times even if the Socceroos were not present.
This time there are 16 host cities (two in Canada, three in Mexico and 11 in the US - the selection process was a World Cup in itself) which have been split up into western, central and eastern regions.
How can I watch the World Cup on TV or via streaming in Australia?
You can watch every match live on SBS and SBS Viceland, and via streaming on SBS On Demand. What time will you need to set your alarm? Honestly, it won’t even be that bad. The Socceroos group matches in the western region all kick off between 5am and 2pm. If they progress to the knockout stage there could be an earlier start, but surely the kick-off times lose relevance the deeper they go.
The Guardian will be live-blogging all 104 matches. Reporter Jack Snape will be on the ground covering the Socceroos as part of a 15-strong team of correspondents bringing you match reports, analysis, features and news from across Canada, Mexico and the US, plus a team of journalists in Australia with reaction from around the country.
Keep an eye on Guardian Australia socials for Socceroos analysis, plus regular podcast drops from the team at Football Weekly.
And take a deep breath … after the briefest of bans, the Socceroos are back on the big screen at Federation Square in Melbourne. There will also be live sites at The Drive in Adelaide and Tumbalong Park and Parramatta Square in Sydney, among others.
Which teams are in Australia’s group and who else has qualified?
The Socceroos were drawn in Group D with co-hosts USA, Paraguay and Turkey. While perhaps not qualifying as a “group of death”, the Socceroos group is arguably one of the most difficult to predict. According to Fifa’s rankings, the USA are the top team in the group at world No 16. Turkey, who were last to book their spot in April, are next at No 22, with Australia 27th and Paraguay 40th.
Focused just on the 48 teams qualified for the World Cup, the Guardian’s power rankings have Turkey at 23rd, the USA at 24th, Australia 28th, Paraguay 32nd.
This is the first outing for this bloated competition. There are nine teams each from Africa and Asia, 16 from Europe, one from Oceania, six from South America, and six from North America, Central America and the Caribbean including the three host nations. The biggest shock (or not, to some) was Italy’s failure to qualify for the third time in a row. Still paying their dues for Fabio Grosso’s dive in 2006?
World Cup 2026 schedule: full list of Australia’s games
Group stage
14 June: Australia v Turkey, 2pm, BC Place Vancouver
20 June: USA v Australia, 5am, Seattle Stadium
26 June: Paraguay v Australia, 12pm, San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
The top two teams in each group advance to the Round of 32, along with the eight best third-placed teams based on points, then on goal difference and then on number of goals.
Possible Round of 32 matches depending on final position in Group D
30 June: 1E v 3ABCDF, 6.30am, Boston Stadium
1 July: 1I v 3CDFGH, 7am, New York/New Jersey Stadium
2 July: 1D v 3BEFIJ, 10am, San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
4 July: 2D v 2G, 4am, Dallas Stadium
Who is in the Socceroos squad?
The final* 26-man squad was announced after the Socceroos’ 1-0 loss to Mexico in their second-last outing before the tournament. Coach Tony Popovic rolled the dice by choosing two uncapped strikers, including Cristian Volpato, who only just changed his allegiance from Italy to Australia. The other is Tete Yengi, with youth edging out experience across the pitch. Kye Rowles, Brandon Borello and Martin Boyle are notable omissions, while veterans Mathew Leckie, Harry Souttar, Maty Ryan, Jackson Irvine and Aziz Behich survived the cull, with Mo Touré and Nestory Irankunda ready to be unleashed up front.
*Teams have until 24 hours before their first match to change an outfield player due to serious injury.
How did the Socceroos perform at the last World Cup?
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Socceroos were sent packing in the least-worst way possible: by pushing the eventual champions Argentina to the very end of their round of 16 clash. Despite ultimately losing 1-2 and ensuring Lionel Messi’s quest for World Cup glory remained on track, Australia returned home as heroes.
What are the other big World Cup stories?
Where to start? On costs, with inflated ticket prices and transport costs it’s going to be an expensive tournament for everyone, except maybe the winning team. On climate, there are concerns about unsafe heat conditions and the tournament’s environmental impact. And on the hosts, ICE will be a “key part” of World Cup security which has human rights groups worried, while Iran will move their base from Arizona to Mexico amid the war with the US. There will be plenty of news off the pitch.
