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🚨 MATCHDAY — 3:00 PM ET TODAY · LUMEN FIELD, SEATTLE
FIFA World Cup 2026 · Group D · Matchday 2
USA vs Australia: Confirmed Lineups & Starting XIs
Pulisic likely OUT — Weah expected to start at left wing · Australia unchanged with full squad fit · team news, formation breakdowns and betting implications.
Friday June 19, 2026 · All odds via FanDuel · FOX · Kickoff 3 PM ET
🚨 PULISIC LATEST — EXPECTED TO MISS OUT
Pochettino would not confirm Pulisic starts at Thursday's press conference — said he is "evolving" and "much better" but left his status open. CBS Sports' Pardeep Cattry: "Pulisic is still training individually on Thursday — it's hard to see him starting." Aaronson told reporters: "I'm always ready to play." Weah is CBS Sports' predicted replacement at LW. Team sheet drops ~60 mins before 3 PM ET kickoff — watch FOX Sports.
With kickoff at 3 PM ET today at Lumen Field in Seattle, the team news picture has snapped into focus — and Pulisic's absence is now the more likely scenario. Pochettino refused to confirm him at Thursday's press conference, and CBS Sports' reporter on the ground confirmed he has been training individually all week. CBS Sports' predicted XI drops Pulisic in favour of Timothy Weah at left wing. Australia meanwhile have a clean bill of health — Popovic confirmed his full squad is available, making an unchanged XI the clear expectation. Balogun anytime +155 is the robust bet regardless — his delivery partners (Tillman, McKennie) are unchanged. Without Pulisic, the Balogun set-piece penalty route disappears, but the Tillman-to-Balogun channel route (Goal #2 vs Paraguay) is fully intact.
Lineups via CBS Sports, Sports Mole, Yahoo Sports, Socceroos.com.au. Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook. Final team sheets confirmed ~60 mins before kickoff. Must be 21+.
🇺🇸 USA Starting XI — 4-2-3-1 · Pochettino
4-2-3-1 · USA EXPECTED XI
BALOGUN ⚽⚽
CF · Monaco · 2G vs PAR
WEAH 🔄
LW · replaces Pulisic
TILLMAN ⭐
DM · Rangers · MOTM
🔄 = likely Pulisic replacement · ⭐ = MOTM vs Paraguay · ⚽⚽ = brace vs Paraguay
⚠️ Pulisic Status — Expected to Miss Out vs Australia
POCHETTINO
At Thursday's press conference: said Pulisic is "evolving" and "much better than" he was after Paraguay — but would not confirm he will start. The Spokesman-Review: "Pochettino indicated Pulisic is questionable for Friday's match."
CBS SPORTS
Pardeep Cattry (on the ground): "Pulisic is still training individually on Thursday — it's hard to see him starting against Australia." CBS Sports predicted XI has Weah at LW, Pulisic absent from the XI entirely.
AARONSON
"I'm always ready to play. Hopefully Christian's going to be ready for the game because he's a big player to us, and we really want him to be there." — told reporters Wednesday at training. Language of a player preparing to start.
IF ABSENT
CBS Sports predict Weah (LW). The Spokesman-Review names Reyna, Weah and Aaronson as options. NBC Sports noted Pochettino could also move Tillman to an advanced role and bring in an extra central midfielder (Roldan or Berhalter). Pulisic is available as an impact sub from the bench if not starting.
Betting implication: If Pulisic is confirmed absent: Pulisic Goal or Assist +110 — void, do not bet. Balogun anytime +155 — fully intact (Tillman confirmed, two-goal delivery mechanism unchanged). USA ML -165 — still the unanimous expert pick. Under 2.5 -118 — further strengthened (reduced creative threat). Check the team sheet on FOX Sports 60 mins before 3 PM ET kickoff before placing any Pulisic prop.
🇺🇸 USA Expected XI — Player by Player
Tim Weah 🔄 LW
Marseille · wide forward · expected to replace Pulisic at LW
PULISIC SUB
Folarin Balogun ⚽⚽ CF
Monaco · 2 goals vs PAR · first WC brace since 1930 · confirmed starting
CONFIRMED
Weston McKennie AM
Juventus · versatile AM · delivery partner for Balogun
CONFIRMED
Malik Tillman ⭐ DM
Rangers · MOTM vs PAR · set up Balogun's 2nd goal
CONFIRMED
Tyler Adams © DM
RB Leipzig · captain · defensive anchor
CONFIRMED
Sergiño Dest RW
PSV · right wing · offensive width
CONFIRMED
Antonee Robinson LB
Fulham · attacking left-back · overlapping threat on left
CONFIRMED
Chris Richards CB
Celtic · right-side CB · good on ball
CONFIRMED
Tim Ream CB
Fulham · left-side CB · veteran aerial presence
CONFIRMED
Alex Freeman RB
Orlando City · adventurous right-back · overlapping threat
CONFIRMED
Matt Freese GK
NYCFC · confirmed #1 starter throughout World Cup
CONFIRMED
🇺🇸 USA Bench Options
⚠️ Christian Pulisic (AC Milan) — likely bench/impact sub
Brenden Aaronson (Leeds) — LW backup
Giovanni Reyna (scored trivela vs PAR)
Ricardo Pepi (CF backup)
Haji Wright (impact striker)
Cristian Roldan / Sebastian Berhalter (mid depth)
📌 USA Lineup Betting Implications
Balogun anytime +155 → UNCHANGED. Tillman confirmed (set up Goal #2 vs Paraguay), McKennie confirmed. The delivery mechanism for Balogun goals is fully intact without Pulisic. Model: 28.4% — top probability for any forward in the match. Back this regardless.
Pulisic Goal or Assist +110 → DO NOT BET until team sheet confirmed. If Pulisic is named on the bench or absent, this prop is void. Check FOX Sports ~60 mins before kickoff. If he does start (as an injury surprise), re-evaluate.
USA ML -165 → unchanged. Covers Ence explicitly backs USA even without Pulisic. The core of USA's attacking threat — Balogun, Tillman, Adams — is identical with or without him.
Under 2.5 -118 → strengthened. Without Pulisic's direct creative threat and penalty/set-piece authority, USA's goal output per game is marginally lower. SportsLine Green's primary pick.
Set-piece taker update: Without Pulisic, Tillman and McKennie take over set-piece duties. Robinson as an overlapping LB may deliver crosses into the box. Penalty taker shifts to Balogun if Pulisic is absent.
🇦🇺 Australia Starting XI — 3-4-2-1 · Popovic
3-4-2-1 · AUSTRALIA EXPECTED XI (UNCHANGED)
TOURE
CF · Norwich · fit confirmed
IRANKUNDA ⚡
AM-L · Watford · scored
METCALFE ⚡
AM-R · scored vs TUR
BEACH ⭐
GK · 22yo · 8 saves vs TUR
⚡ = scored vs Turkey · ⭐ = standout debut · full squad fit confirmed by Popovic
🟢 Australia: Full Squad Fit · Unchanged XI Expected
Tony Popovic at Thursday's press conference: "Everyone's fit and available, which is a real positive for us. We worked on a few different areas and ways that we believe we can try and manage the US team when they are attacking. It'll be a difficult challenge, but one that we've prepared well for, and we come in with confidence."
Sports Mole and Yahoo Sports both predict an unchanged XI. Toure is fit and expected to lead the line. The only question was whether Popovic brings in experienced options like Mat Ryan (GK, 104 caps) or Jackson Irvine (mid) — but the consensus is continuity after the 2-0 Turkey win. Irankunda and Metcalfe both scored against Turkey and retain their places behind Toure in the 3-4-2-1.
🇦🇺 Australia Expected XI — Player by Player
Mohamed Toure CF
Norwich City · 22yo · fit and available per Popovic
CONFIRMED FIT
Nestory Irankunda ⚡ AM-L
Watford · 20yo · scored vs Turkey · youngest-ever AUS WC scorer · pace weapon
CONFIRMED
Connor Metcalfe ⚡ AM-R
Scored 2nd goal vs Turkey · advanced midfield role
CONFIRMED
Paul Okon-Engstler CM
Defensive screen · son of former Socceroo Paul Okon
CONFIRMED
Aiden O'Neill CM
Midfield partner to Okon-Engstler · energetic box-to-box
CONFIRMED
Jordan Bos LWB
Scored vs USA Oct 2025 friendly · attacking left wing-back
CONFIRMED
Jacob Italiano RWB
Right wing-back · will face Weah + Freeman repeatedly
CONFIRMED
Harry Souttar CB-C
Leicester · 6'4" · primary Balogun opponent · aerial dominant
CONFIRMED
Cameron Burgess CB-R
Physical right-side CB
CONFIRMED
Alessandro Circati CB-L
Composed left-side CB · good on ball
CONFIRMED
Patrick Beach ⭐ GK
22yo · Melbourne City · 8 saves vs Turkey · youngest-ever AUS WC XI
CONFIRMED
🇦🇺 Australia Bench — Notable Options
Mat Ryan (GK · 104 caps · dropped but available)
Jackson Irvine (experienced mid · rested vs TUR)
Mathew Leckie (35yo · experienced CF)
Awer Mabil (wide forward)
Carlo Volpato (creative mid)
💰 Best Bets — Based on Today's Lineups
USA vs Australia · Today's Bets · 3 PM ET · Lumen Field
⚽ Balogun Anytime
28.4% model · Tillman confirmed delivery partner · AUS back three · robust with/without Pulisic
+155
🇺🇸 USA ML
Unanimous · Covers explicit even without Pulisic · Balogun/Tillman core intact · 69K home crowd
-165
📉 Under 2.5 Goals
SportsLine Green primary · last 3 AUS Under · Pulisic absence strengthens · AUS deep block
-118
⚠️ Pulisic G/A (only if confirmed starting)
CBS Sports Green explicit at +110 · ONLY if team sheet shows Pulisic in XI · check FOX Sports 60 mins pre-KO
+110
FanDuel Sportsbook — World Cup 2026
Bet USA vs Australia — Kickoff 3 PM ET Today
Balogun +155 · USA -165 · Under 2.5 -118 · Lumen Field Seattle
Bet Now
All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook · Subject to change · Must be 21+ · Play responsibly
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