Australia have learned who they will play in next year’s World Cup after the offical draw was held in Washington.
US President Donald Trump, who was guest of honour at the ceremony, received much fawning attention and was awarded the inaugural FIFA peace prize.
The star-studded event included performances from singers Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Andrea Bocelli.
The draw was presented by supermodel Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart and Top Gun star Danny Ramirez.
During the show 48 teams discovered who their opponents would be for the 2026 World Cup.
The Socceroos landed a fairly kind draw, including a date with hosts United States.
Australia will take on hosts USA, Paraguay and one of Turkey, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo in group D.
It meant Australia avoided the likes of world champions Argentina, European champions and world No.1 Spain, plus fellow top-four teams France and England, in the finals which will be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.
Australia faced the United States, the world’s No.14-ranked team, as recently as October, suffering a 2-1 defeat, the first loss of the Popovic era, in Colorado.
The Socceroos have played the US four times, for one win, one draw and two losses.
Australia have not played world No.39 Paraguay since a 1-0 friendly win in 2010 but are unbeaten in five clashes — two wins, three draws — with the South American team.
The Socceroos won’t learn their final group stage opponents until late March, when the European play-offs are completed.
But they have dodged potential match-ups with the likes of Italy and Denmark, who are still yet to qualify.
In UEFA play-off path C, world No.25 Turkey tackle No.47 Romania and No.45 Slovakia take on Kosovo (No.80), before the winners of those ties face off in their play-off final for a spot in the World Cup.
It will be the biggest World Cup ever, featuring 48 teams and 104 games.
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups will advance, along with the eight best third-placed teams.
Trump’s peace prize
Trump, who has openly campaigned for the Nobel Peace Price, had been heavily favoured to win the newly created FIFA prize.
He and FIFA president Gianni Infantino are close allies, and Infantino had made clear that he thought Trump should have won the Nobel for his efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza.
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The certificate that Infantino handed Trump recognises the US president for his actions to “promote peace and unity around the world.”
“This is what we want from a leader — a leader that cares about the people,” Infantino said about Trump, who wore a gold medal around his neck and was presented with a gold trophy with his name on it that depicts hands holding up the world.
The FIFA leader said to Trump “this is your prize, this is your peace prize.”
Trump thanked his family, including his wife, first lady Melania Trump, and praised the leaders of the other two host nations – Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum – in his brief remarks.
“This is truly one of the great honours of my life,” Trump said.
Infantino has often spoken about soccer as a unifier for the world, but the prize is a departure from the federation’s traditional focus on sport.
FIFA has described the prize as one that rewards “individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.”
It comes during a week where Trump’s administration has been under scrutiny for lethal strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and as Trump hardens his rhetoric against immigrants.
The Nobel this year was eventually awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who said shortly after receiving the prize that she was dedicating it in part to Trump for “his decisive support of our cause.”
World Cup Finals draw
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA Playoff D
Group B: Canada, UEFA Playoff A, Qatar, Switzerland
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland
Group D: United States, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Playoff C
Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, UEFA Playoff B, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay
Group I: France, Senegal, FIFA Playoff 2, Norway
Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, FIFA Playoff 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama