The 2026 World Cup group stage matches are all set after Bosnia defeated Italy in the UEFA Path A qualifier. Italy will now miss three World Cups in a row, and instead Bosnia will play Qatar in Seattle on June 24th at noon. As things currently stand for Iran, they will still play in the US despite the ongoing war, FIFA President Gianni Infantino recently indicated as he told N+ Univision that there are no other alternatives regarding Iran’s US-based games.
Iran will play Mohammed Salah’s Egypt in Seattle on June 26, and eleven days before that game, Egypt will open the World Cup in Seattle against European giants Belgium.
The USMNT will host their game in Seattle on June 19, where they will face Australia. This will be the first time that the USMNT will host in Seattle since the 2016 Copa America Centenario where the Americans defeated Ecuador 2-1. In the second-to-last batch of friendlies leading into the World Cup, the US took a hard defeat to Belgium despite scoring first, which ended 5-2 in Atlanta, GA. The following on March 31, the USMNT also couldn’t find a way against Portugal, losing 2-0.
Looking at the European giant who is set to play in Seattle this summer, Belgium played Mexico to a 1-1 draw at Solider Field in Chicago with Mexico’s Jorge Sanchez opening the scoring and Belgium’s Dodi Lukébakio leveling the score. Egypt also played a set of friendlies around the same time, beating Saudi Arabia 4-0 and tying Spain in a scoreless match.
Iran played one friendly over the international break, losing 2-1 to Nigeria in their World Cup preparations, hosted in Türkiye. Finally, Australia defeated a Nouhou-less Cameroon with a late 85th minute goal, and days later, dominated Curaçao 5-1.
Cover Photo: Niko Antoun / House of Sounders
