Group D has established a clear pecking order. The United States and Australia both secured three points on the opening matchday, making Friday’s clash in Seattle a critical showdown for the top spot and a direct path to the Round of 32. A slip-up in this match could complicate the scenario for the final group game.
Mauricio Pochettino’s U.S. team set the early standard by defeating Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles, featuring two goals from Folarin Balogun and a curling finish from substitute Gio Reyna. Australia, often underestimated before the match, pulled off the tournament’s first significant upset with a 2-0 victory over Türkiye, thanks to goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe in each half, along with eight saves from debutant goalkeeper Patrick Beach.
However, a lingering concern for the U.S. team is Christian Pulisic’s fitness. The star player was substituted at halftime against Paraguay and has spent part of this week trying to recover in time for the match. In contrast, Australia entered their opener with no players on the World Cup injury list and appears to be in good form under coach Tony Popovic.
What time is USA vs. Australia, and how to watch on TV and streaming?
The match kicks off Friday, June 19, at noon local time in Seattle, which is 2:00 p.m. Central Time for viewers in Chicago. FOX holds the English-language rights, so the broadcast lands on either FOX or sister channel FS1.
If you’ve cut the cord, Tubi carries World Cup matches for free, and live-TV platforms like Fubo and the Fox Sports app offer another way in.
The venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
Kickoff happens at Lumen Field, renamed “Seattle Stadium” for the World Cup and tucked into the SoDo neighborhood just south of downtown. The ground holds roughly 69,000 for the tournament and has a fearsome reputation for noise — the crowd has set a Guinness record of 137.6 decibels in 2014.
Predicted lineups
United States (4-2-3-1): Freese; Dest, Richards, Ream, Robinson; Adams, McKennie; Weah, Tillman, Pulisic; Balogun.
Australia (4-2-3-1): Beach; Italiano, Circati, Souttar, Bos; O’Neill, Okon-Engstler; Irankunda, Metcalfe, Irvine; Touré.
Beyond the match: what to do in Chicago
15 July 2026 10:00 + more dates
