mexico city

WASHINGTON — Friday’s World Cup draw couldn’t have gone much better for U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino. In a star-studded two-hour ceremony held at the Kennedy Center, Americans were grouped with Paraguay and Australia, teams they beat in the last two months, along with the winner of a European playoff featuring Turkey, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.

“We’ve already done the homework because it’s fresh,” Pochettino said. “We know them but they know us. The most important thing is evolution and improving in all the areas for us to be sure that, in our debut, we will be stronger than today.

“I’ve been looking forward to the World Cup. We start today.”

Next summer’s tournament, which will kick off June 11 in Mexico City with Mexico facing South Africa, will be the largest, most complex single-sport competition in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games across three countries before the July 19 final in East Rutherford, N.J.

It will also be the first World Cup to be played in the U.S. in 32 years. And for the players, that means everything.

“You can’t ask for anything better. It’s what we dreamed of as kids,” forward Christian Pulisic said. “It’s important to go into it with the mentality that we’re just going to enjoy it. We’re going to try to take in the whole experience.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

The U.S. is ranked 14th in the world; of the six other teams drawn into its group, only Turkey is in the top 25. That would seem to make the path to the knockout stage a bit easier.

The Americans will open the tournament against No. 39 Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12, then face Australia in Seattle on June 19 before returning to Inglewood to close out group play against the playoff winner June 25. The top two teams in each of the 12 four-team groups, plus the eight-best third-place teams, advance to the second round.

If the U.S. wins the group, it would stay in California to play a third-place team in Santa Clara, setting it on a road that would take it to Seattle for the round of 16 then back to SoFi Stadium for the quarterfinals, a stage the U.S. has reached just once in the modern era.

Midfielder Tyler Adams said no one is mapping out that journey just yet.

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Kevin Baxter shares his thoughts on the United States’ path in the 2026 World Cup and what teams might have the toughest trek in group play.

“There’s no easy game in a World Cup,” he said. “In fact, I think some of our hardest games in the previous World Cup were against the lesser opponents. But it’s fun knowing that we’ve played some of these opponents before.”

Finishing second would see the team play its first knockout game in Dallas and, should it win that, head to Atlanta for the round of 16.

“I’m sure you’d expect the U.S. to be a favorite,” said Tony Popovic, coach of 26th-ranked Australia. “They’d expect to go through as a host nation, playing at home. If that’s the case, I’m happy for them — as long as we’re with them and join them.”

Pochettino, however, said he won’t be distracted by talk the group is an easy one, because expecting to win and actually doing so are two different things.

“To the people who say ‘you have to win’ before you even play — no,” he said in Spanish. “In soccer you don’t win on the bus. You win when you earn it on the field.

“For that reason we have to show a lot of respect — full respect — for our opponents.”

Group of Death? More like Group of Mildly Uncomfortable

France, a World Cup finalist in 2022, will be playing in arguably the toughest group at the 2026 World Cup.

(Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images)

If the U.S. got a favorable draw, the same can’t be said for France, which was grouped with Senegal, Norway (and Erling Haaland) and the survivor of an interconfederation playoff featuring Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq. It’s not quite a Group of Death, but it’s probably the most competitive quartet to come out of Friday’s draw.

Other strong groups include Group C, topped by five-time champion Brazil and Morocco, a semifinalist four years ago, and Group H, with tournament favorite Spain and Uruguay, which made the quarterfinals in two of the last four World Cups.

Defending champion Argentina will play in Group J against Algeria, Austria and Jordan, none of whom are ranked among the top 23 in the world.

With eight third-place teams qualifying for the knockout rounds for the first time in World Cup history, the margin of error in the first round has never been greater, meaning teams will have a chance to overcome one poor game — or even two — and still advance.

There’s no place like home for Mexico

Mexico made it to the quarterfinals in the first two World Cups played in Mexico, a history that coach Javier Aguirre is well aware of because the last time it happened, in 1986, Aguirre started at midfield in El Tri’s final game.

So with the tournament returning to Mexico next summer, Aguirre is hoping to get the team back to the final eight.

“When we’re playing at home, we’re very excited,” the coach said in Spanish.

But first to make it anywhere near the quarterfinals, Mexico will have to get through a group that includes South Africa, South Korea and the winner of a European playoff featuring Denmark, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic or Ireland.

“It’s not an easy group,” said Aguirre, whose team closed the year winless in its last six tries. “These are interesting games, with many different styles and we’re going to prepare ourselves to face it.

“We can’t underestimate anyone.”

Winning the group would give Mexico the chance to play its first two knockout games at home before traveling to South Florida for the quarterfinals. Finishing second would put it on track to go Los Angeles, then Houston — two heavily Mexican markets — for its next two games. On that track, its quarterfinal would be in Foxborough, Mass.

South Korea, captained by LAFC forward Son Heung-min, has qualified for 11 consecutive World Cups, a streak beaten only by Germany, Brazil, Spain and Argentina. South Africa last played in the tournament in 2010, when it hosted the event.

Trump gets peace prize

FIFA President Gianni Infantino presents President Trump with FIFA’s newly created peace prize before the start of the World Cup draw on Friday.

(Stephanie Scarbrough / Associated Press)

Before Friday’s draw began, FIFA leader Gianni Infantino presented President Trump with FIFA’s first Peace Prize, a move many interpreted as a gesture by Infantino to curry favor with Trump, whose cooperation will be key to a successful World Cup.

Infantino, who announced the creation of the annual award last month, praised Trump’s actions “to pursue peace around the world,” including his work in bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza.

“This is what we want from a leader, a leader that cares about the people,” he said. “We want to live in a safe world. That’s what we do here today. That’s what we do at the World Cup, Mr. President. And you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way.”

Trump thanked Infantino, calling the award “one of the great honors of my life.”

Give ‘em a break

Record heat and humidity spoiled last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup, with temperatures topping 90 degrees for many afternoon games, hampering play and leaving some players in distress. As a result FIFPRO, the union representing the players, called for better scheduling and more hydration breaks for the World Cup — and FIFA appears to be listening.

World Cup organizers are reportedly considering mandating water breaks for both halves of every game, even for matches played indoors.

Since early November, British pop star Dua Lipa has performed a string of concerts across Latin America in support of her 2024 album, “Radical Optimism.”

In addition to singing her manifold hits, the Grammy winner has included nightly covers of songs associated with the country she is performing. Many of her renditions have since gone viral on social media, to much fanfare.

As her tour wraps up Friday at GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City, here’s a rundown of the many Spanish- and Portuguese-language covers Lipa has performed over the last month.

Argentina

Her first show of the Latin America leg was at the Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aires on Nov. 7 and Lipa marked the occasion by belting out a cover of Argentine rock band Soda Stereo’s 1990 mega hit “De Música Ligera.”

“I learned that rock music is very popular here,” Lipa told the Buenos Aires crowd in Spanish leading up to the cover. “I feel like everyone knows this song and if you know it, sing along.”

Watch the cover here.

(Natacha Pisarenko / Associated Press)

At her second and final show in the Argentine capital, the “Don’t Start Now” artist went deeper into her musical bag and pulled out a cover of Argentine electropop band Miranda!’s track “Tu Misterioso Alguien.”

Lipa’s performance of the track is available to watch here.

Chile

On Nov. 11, Lipa played her first concert at Chile’s Estadio Nacional in Santiago, where she surprised the crowd with her rendition of Chilean singer Mon Laferte’s “Tu Falta de Querer.”

After the video of Lipa’s cover made the rounds online, Laferte revealed that the “New Rules” singer invited her to perform at that concert.

“It was a beautiful surprise,” Laferte said of the cover in a Nov. 13 interview with Univision Canada. “I need to confess something … Dua Lipa invited me to sing with her in Chile, but I had to be here [in Las Vegas for the Latin Grammys] and so I wasn’t able to go.”

But Laferte was still just as surprised as anyone else by Lipa’s song choice.

“I didn’t know she was going to sing ‘Tu Falta de Querer,’” she continued in the interview. “I thought that I would have to learn one of her songs. I felt very honored when she invited me, but after seeing her sing my song, it was beautiful. Furthermore, she sang the song very sentimentally, you could tell she was living with the words in the song.”

The following night, the “Dance the Night” hitmaker sang La Ley’s 1995 single “El Duelo,” which can be watched here.

Brazil

Lipa answered the internet’s eternal “come to Brazil” pleas with her Nov. 15 performance at Estadio Morumbis in São Paulo.

The crowd was treated to two surprise songs and a duo of surprise guests. First, legendary Brazilian singer and percussionist Carlinhos Brown shared the stage with Lipa to perform Sérgio Mendes’ “Magalenha.” The pop singer surprised spectators by perfectly reciting every Portuguese lyric of the fast-paced, tongue-twisting track.

Brown shared a video of their duet on social media, writing, “Dua, I loved the invitation and all your energy. São Paulo, thanks for the reception and affection!”

Later in the night, Lipa brought out famed Brazilian vocalist Caetano Veloso to sing his hit “Margarida Perfumada.”

A week later, while taking the stage in Rio de Janeiro, Lipa busted out a cover of Sérgio Mendes & Brasil ’66’s anthem “Mas Que Nada.” Along with João Gilberto’s “Garota de Ipanema,” Mendes’ 1966 song helped Brazilian music gain international popularity.

Peru

Peruvian Dua Lipites were treated to a rendition of the Chica hit “Cariñito” by Los Hijos del Sol. The British songstress was joined on stage for the cover at Lima’s Estadio San Marcos by Peruvian cumbia singer Mauricio Mesones.

Colombia

While performing in Bogotá on Nov. 28, the “One Kiss” artist pulled out her best Shakira impression and sang the Colombian idol’s 1995 bop “Antología.”

“BOGOTA!!!! Thank you for a truly epic night!!! I’ll be living off this adrenaline for the next few days!!,” Lipa captioned an Instagram post of the performance in Spanish.

Shakira also took to Instagram to express gratitude for Lipa’s homage.

“I’m so touched to hear my song in Dua’s voice, in the same city where I wrote it years ago,” the 48-year-old singer wrote in a Nov. 29 post. “See how music brings us together? a girl from London and another one from Barranquilla! Thanks @dualipa ! What a treat!”

Mexico

Lipa performed the first of her three scheduled concerts in Mexico City on Monday and did a cover of Luis Miguel’s arrangement of “Bésame Mucho.”

“Today I want to pay tribute to a great Mexican composer, Consuelo Velázquez, whose song is linked to the hearts of so many people around the world,” the Golden Globe nominee told the Mexican crowd in Spanish before launching her cover. “I love this song because the story goes that she had never been kissed when she wrote it. And I believe that songwriters write their dreams so that they come true.”

(Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)

For her show in Mexico City on Tuesday night, Lipa brought out Maná frontman Fher Olvera to perform a duet of the Mexican rock band’s breakout 1992 hit “Oye Mi Amor.”

“Tonight we are very lucky because we have someone very special who is going to sing with us,” Lipa said in Spanish — before Olvera ran out onto the stage to rapturous applause.

Earlier in the night, Lipa expressed how grateful she was to wrap up her tour in the Mexican capital.

“I can’t stop thinking about all the incredible memories I’ve made this year. Being here with you tonight is the cherry on top, and it’s the only way I wanted to end this tour,” she told the crowd. “Thank you so much Mexico for always supporting me and making me feel so at home. I feel a very deep connection to this country and its beautiful people, and I will always, always come back.”

The jury is still out on what Lipa will play as her final cover of her tour — but it will definitely be Mexican as hell.