Australia

Australia enter World Cup 2026 in Group D, where the early tests are USA, Paraguay, and Turkiye. Australia have never won the World Cup, but they reached the Round of 16 in 2006 and again in 2022, proving that tournament discipline and belief can carry the Socceroos beyond expectations. The current squad is shaped around Mitchell Duke, Jackson Irvine, and Mat Ryan, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. Group D will test their ability to suffer without losing structure. If Ryan organizes the back line and Irvine drives midfield pressure, Australia can again become an awkward knockout contender. If Australia can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.