The United States and Australia meet Friday in a pivotal Group D matchup at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with both teams entering off convincing opening-round victories and a place atop the group on the line at Seattle's Lumen Field.

Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun

Kickoff Time and Venue

USA and Australia meet in the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday, June 19, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Pacific Time, or 3 p.m. Eastern Time, from Seattle Stadium. The match is set for Friday, June 19, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET.

TV Channel

The USA vs. Australia game will air at 3 p.m. ET on FOX, and Telemundo. FOX will be broadcasting the USMNT vs. Australia World Cup game in English. A Spanish-language broadcast of the game will air on Telemundo.

In the U.S., Fox Sports lists FOX and FS1, which are available on fubo for English-language coverage, while Telemundo will stream every match live on Peacock and the Telemundo App for Spanish-language coverage.

Streaming Options

For viewers without traditional cable access, several streaming platforms carry FOX's World Cup coverage. Streaming options include watching three days free on FOX One, or watching for free on Tubi and FOX Sports.

FOX One gives fans access to live games, pregame coverage, highlights, expert analysis, and unforgettable moments directly to their screen. Fans who are late to the game can set their DVR to catch up with highlights they missed, then jump into the action live, with options to bypass spoilers and hide the live score until fully caught up.

YouTube TV gets viewers all the channels needed to watch the 2026 World Cup, including FOX, FS1, Universo, and Telemundo. Subscribers can currently get a deal on YouTube TV for $67.99 per month for the first five months, then $82.99 per month thereafter, with a 10-day free trial. One thing to note is that YouTube TV livestreams tend to run a slight delay, which isn't ideal for viewers trying to keep up with the live game down to the exact second.

FOX One is a relatively new streaming service from FOX that launched last summer. With a subscription, viewers can tune in to FOX News, FOX Sports, FOX Weather, FS1, FS2, FOX Business, FOX Deportes, the Big Ten Network, and local FOX stations all in one place, with both live programming and on-demand shows and movies. At launch, the base price for FOX One costs $19.99 a month, or subscribers can save with an annual subscription for $199.99.

The best place to catch the match is on the streaming service fubo, with new customers able to sign up for a free trial. Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, allowing them to stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, FOX, and more than 100 top channels of live TV and sports without cable.

How Both Teams Got Here

Both nations enter Friday's match with significant momentum following dominant performances in their tournament openers. The USMNT arrives red-hot after Folarin Balogun's two-goal performance in a 4-1 opening win over Paraguay, while Australia also rolled in its opener, knocking off Türkiye 2-0.

The United States men's national team made a statement to open its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, routing Paraguay 4-1 last week behind two goals from Folarin Balogun. The U.S. struck less than seven minutes in, taking a 1-0 lead when Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla redirected the ball into his own net. Fans inside the packed stadium in Inglewood, California, roared as the USMNT seized an early advantage.

An Injury Concern to Watch

One lingering question heading into kickoff involves the availability of one of the USMNT's most important attacking players. Team USA's star midfielder Christian Pulisic's availability remains a question after he was substituted out of last week's win. Former USMNT head coach Bob Bradley discussed Pulisic's calf injury and whether he'll be ready to face Australia, alongside the broader discussion of the USMNT's 4-1 win over Paraguay.

Where the Match Fits Into the Day's Slate

Friday's USA-Australia match is part of a packed slate of World Cup action across the United States. Day 9 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivers four compelling group stage matches, led by the heavyweight Group D showdown between the United States and Australia in Seattle. Later, five-time world champion Brazil looks to right the ship against Haiti in Philadelphia after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Morocco to open the tournament. Scotland and Morocco also face off in Group C in Boston, and Türkiye and Paraguay close the night on the West Coast in a Group D must-win for both teams. All four matches air on FOX or FS1 and stream live on FOX One.

All times Eastern: USA vs. Australia at 3 p.m., Scotland vs. Morocco at 6 p.m., Brazil vs. Haiti at 9 p.m., and Türkiye vs. Paraguay at midnight.

Looking Ahead in Group D

Beyond Friday's match, both nations have their final group-stage fixtures already mapped out. The United States will face Türkiye on June 25 at Los Angeles Stadium at 10 p.m. ET, while Australia will face Paraguay on June 25 at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, also at 10 p.m. ET.

The Bigger Picture for U.S. World Cup Coverage

Friday's match is part of a much larger broadcast commitment FOX has made to covering the entire tournament across its network properties. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX and FS1, with every match streaming live and on-demand within FOX One's new, innovative World Cup viewing experience and the FOX Sports App. Every match is available in 4K on FOX One and most major pay-TV providers.

What's at Stake on the Field

Beyond the broadcast logistics, Friday's match carries genuine tactical and strategic significance for both nations as they look to build on their strong starts to the tournament. The U.S. team is at its best attacking from wide positions, with manager Mauricio Pochettino placing Dest, normally a fullback, further up the field to take advantage of his dribbling and shooting abilities.

With both the United States and Australia sitting level on points after their respective opening wins, Friday's result in Seattle is likely to go a long way toward determining which nation finishes atop Group D heading into the final round of group matches later this month.

Read more