The 2026 World Cup enters its final group-stage fixtures with the United States set to meet Türkiye at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on Fox. The USMNT secured first place in Group D after a victory over Australia in its second match.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino has emphasized maintaining the squad’s momentum, but rotation appears likely for the group finale. Liz Loza noted Pochettino is “unlikely” to field the same starting lineup, with players such as Tyler Adams carrying yellow cards that could influence selection.
Loza highlighted midfielder Cristian Roldan as a player expected to see significant minutes if rotation occurs. Roldan, described in the preview for his tackling ability, recorded 25 tackles in 12 appearances (10 starts) during the 2026 MLS regular season.
Türkiye enters the game already eliminated from the tournament and still searching for its first goal of the group stage despite registering 62 shots across two matches, according to the preview. Loza pointed to Real Madrid winger Arda Güler, who has produced eight goal shots so far and is 21 years old; the piece noted Güler has vowed to restore fans’ faith and finish the tournament on a high note.
Victoria Matiash emphasized that Türkiye has shown attacking capacity in recent play, citing 19 goals in eight qualifying games and a 2-1 friendly win over the United States a year ago. Matiash also mentioned Kerem Aktürkoglu and Deniz Gül as part of Türkiye’s attacking options and suggested the combination of U.S. rotation and a more desperate opposition could open the match up.
