US eyes best-ever World Cup group stage with win over eliminated Turkey

The United States men's national soccer team is on the cusp of its best-ever group stage performance at the 2026 World Cup. A victory against Turkey in Los Angeles, California, would secure them nine points in Group D, mirroring co-host Mexico's achievement.

The U.S. team, managed by Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino, enters the final group match following dominant wins over Paraguay (4-1) and Australia (2-0). These performances are being hailed as some of the team's strongest in recent World Cups, drawing comparisons to their victory against Iran in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

With Christian Pulisic absent, Folarin Balogun, Giovanni Reyna, and Alex Freeman have stepped up to lead the team. They aim to achieve the best World Cup participation for the U.S. since their semifinal appearance in 1930.

Meanwhile, Turkey faces elimination as one of the tournament's biggest disappointments. Despite controlling possession in their losses to Australia and Paraguay, their performance has been subpar. The team, featuring talents like Arda Güler and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, was expected to perform better.

Turkey will play its final match against the U.S. on Thursday, June 25, at 8:00 PM Guatemala time in Los Angeles. The 70,000 spectators at SoFi Stadium anticipate seeing the U.S. advance to the knockout stage as group leaders. The outcome of the match between Paraguay and Australia will decide who secures the second position in Group D.