Whether you follow the Socceroos closely or have jumped back on the bandwagon for the World Cup, this is a time like no other in the football world. Every edition comes with its own quirks and changes, and this one in the United States, Mexico and Canada is no different. This handy guide contains everything you need to know about following the Socceroos from Australia. (All times are AEST.)
What channel is the World Cup on, and how can I watch it live on TV or via streaming?
You can watch every match live on SBS and SBS Viceland, and via streaming on SBS On Demand. The group-stage kick-offs of 2pm, 12pm and 5am were very reasonable. But now that the Socceroos have progressed to the knockout stage, you will need to set your alarm earlier.
The Guardian is live-blogging all 104 matches. Reporter Jack Snape is on the ground covering the Socceroos as part of a 15-strong team of correspondents bringing you match reports, analysis, features and news from across Canada, Mexico and the US, plus a team of journalists in Australia with reaction from around the country.
Keep an eye on Guardian Australia socials for Socceroos analysis, plus World Cup Daily podcasts from the team at Football Weekly.
What time do Australia play their World Cup games? Full schedule of the Socceroos fixtures
After finishing second in Group D, Australia progressed to the knockout stages of the World Cup for just the third time. In this expanded format of 48 teams, 16 have been eliminated leaving 32 to battle in the first knockout round.
Last 32
Saturday 4 July: Australia v Egypt, 4am, Dallas Stadium
Possible knockout path
Wednesday 8 July: last-16, 2am, Atlanta Stadium
Sunday 12 July: quarter-final, 11am, Kansas City Stadium
Thursday 16 July: semi-final, 5am, Atlanta Stadium
Monday 20 July: final, 5am, New York/New Jersey Stadium
Group stage
Game one: Australia 2-0 Turkey, BC Place, Vancouver
Game two: USA 2-0 Australia, Seattle Stadium
Game three: Australia 0-0 Paraguay, San Francisco Bay Area Stadium
The top two teams in each group advanced to the last 32 along with the eight best third-placed teams. USA locked in top spot after two games, Australia progressed in second, Paraguay made it through as a third-placed team, and Turkey were eliminated.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | USA | 3 | 4 | 6 |
| 2 | Australia | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Paraguay | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| 4 | Turkey | 3 | -2 | 3 |
Where are the main live sites around Australia to watch World Cup games?
After the briefest of bans, the Socceroos are back on the big screen at Federation Square in Melbourne. Here are some more live sites where you can watch the action:
New South Wales
Sydney: Parramatta Square, Tumbalong Park, Allianz Stadium, Playford Park in Bankstown, Blacktown Football Park, Henley Park in Enfield, Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, Rouse Hill Town Centre, Phillips Park in Lurnea, Hammondville Oval in Moorebank, Cirillo Reserve in Middleton Grange, Webbs Avenue in Auburn, Dyin Ngurra (Merrylands Civic Square)
Regional: Jamberoo Pub (with the added bonus of a visit to the Johnny Warren Museum)
Victoria
Melbourne: Federation Square, AAMI Park, Marvel Stadium, Broadmeadows Town Hall, Maddern Square in Footscray
Regional: Johnstone Park in Geelong, Alfred Deakin Place in Ballarat, Hargreaves Mall in Bendigo, Gippsland Performing Arts Centre in Traralgon, Shepparton Showgrounds
More locations
Adelaide: The Drive
Perth: Northbridge Piazza
Brisbane: Southbank
Darwin: Darwin Football Stadium
Which teams are still playing?
This is the first outing for this bloated competition. Mexico, South Africa, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Morocco, USA, Australia, Germany, Cote d’Ivoire, the Netherlands, Japan, Belgium, Egypt, Spain, Cape Verde, France, Norway, Argentina, Austria, Colombia, Portugal, England and Croatia qualified as the top two teams from each group.
A dramatic third-place race ended with DR Congo, Sweden, Ghana, Ecuador, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Algeria, Paraguay and Senegal progressing.
Who are the players in the Socceroos squad?
The final 26-man squad was announced after the Socceroos’ 1-0 loss to Mexico in their second-last outing before the tournament. Coach Tony Popovic rolled the dice by choosing two uncapped strikers, including Cristian Volpato, who only just changed his allegiance from Italy to Australia. The other is Tete Yengi, with youth edging out experience across the pitch.
Kye Rowles, Brandon Borello and Martin Boyle were notable omissions, while veterans Mathew Leckie, Harry Souttar, Maty Ryan, Jackson Irvine and Aziz Behich survived the cull, with Mo Touré and Nestory Irankunda ready to be unleashed up front.
Which countries are hosting the 2026 World Cup?
Along with Mexico and the US, Canada is the third co-host in 2026 - the first time three nations have shared hosting responsibilities. South Korea and Japan were the first and only other co-hosts in 2002, which some Australians may remember fondly for its agreeable kick-off times even if the Socceroos were not present. All three co-hosts advanced to the knockouts, with Canada already booking their last-16 spot.
This time there are 16 host cities (two in Canada, three in Mexico and 11 in the US - the selection process was a World Cup in itself) which have been split up into western, central and eastern regions.
How did Australia’s national football team perform at the last World Cup?
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Socceroos were sent packing in the least-worst way possible: by pushing the eventual champions Argentina to the very end of their round of 16 clash. Despite ultimately losing 1-2 and ensuring Lionel Messi’s quest for World Cup glory remained on track, Australia returned home as heroes.
What are the other big World Cup stories?
While before the tournament the focus was very much on inflated ticket prices and transport costs, as well as what role ICE would play, since kick-off the off-field focus has shifted somewhat. Iran spoke out strongly about their treatment by Fifa and the US, after being eliminated in the final group match. As Jonathan Wilson writes, the football quickly took over but has been soured by issues of visas and Fifa’s disregard for fans. The lighter stories to capture attention include a Mexican duck named Merlín, the pink boot phenomenon and riotous fan colour. The knockouts have already delivered excitement and maybe even hydration breaks have a silver lining.
