Australian team arrives in Bay Area for FIFA World Cup
BERKELEY, Calif. - With the 2026 FIFA World Cup officially kicking off next week, international squads are arriving at their respective base camps to prepare for their upcoming tournament campaigns.
Team Australia
What we know:
Team Australia has officially touched down in the Bay Area, with video on social media showing the squad arriving in Berkeley. The "Socceroos" are one of two international teams who will be calling the region home for the next month.
Australia's Head Coach, Tony Popovic, held a news conference after finalizing his 26-man roster.
"We've got clarity and clear air in terms of 26 players," Popovic said. "We've arrived here in our base camp, wonderful place, we know now this is the squad going into the World Cup."
The Australian roster features three players currently competing for U.S.-based Major League Soccer clubs, giving local fans a domestic connection to root for:
- Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids)
- Kai Trewin (New York City FC)
- Aiden O’Neill (New York City FC)
The team plans to conduct its official tournament training at the Oakland Roots training facility in Alameda. Bay Area soccer fans will have an opportunity to see the players in person, as Australia is scheduled to host an open practice for fans this Wednesday. Supporters must apply online for a chance to attend the session.
Team Paraguay
Team Paraguay, the second nation using the region as a base camp, will train at San Jose State University. Paraguay is expected to hold its own open practice session for the public early next week.
Both Australia and Paraguay are competing in Group D for the tournament, alongside Team USA. The two base-camp neighbors are scheduled to face each other at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara for the final round of the group stage.
Australia will play its first match of the World Cup against Turkiye on June 13 in Vancouver.
The Source: FIFA World Cup, IG of Team Australia