USMNT: What to expect from UEFA Pathway C?

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As co-hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the United States earned automatic qualification to this summer's tournament, placed in Group D alongside Paraguay and Australia.

But the third and final opponent in Group D is yet to be determined via the UEFA Pathway C qualification playoff.

The four contenders for qualification in UEFA Pathway C are Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.

Here is everything you need to know about the qualification process that will determine the last member of World Cup Group D.

USMNT World Cup group stage schedule

• June 12 vs. Paraguay | SoFi Stadium - Inglewood, California
• June 19 vs. Australia | Lumen Field - Seattle, Washington
• June 25 vs. TBD| SoFi Stadium - Inglewood, California

How to Watch UEFA Pathway C

• TV: FS1
• Stream: UEFA.com, FuboTV, ViX

UEFA Pathway C consists of a four-team, single-leg knockout playoff, with the winner earning the final World Cup qualification spot in Group D alongside the United States, Panama and Australia.

Semifinals

• March 26: Türkiye vs. Romania | Beşiktaş Park - Istanbul, Türkiye
• March 26: Slovakia vs. Kosovo | Národný futbalový štadión - Bratislava, Slovakia

Final

• March 31: Slovakia/Kosovo vs. Türkiye/Romania

The UEFA Pathway C final will be held at Slovakia's Národný futbalový štadión or Kosovo's Fadil Vokrri Stadium, depending on which country advances.

Türkiye, ranked 25th in the FIFA Men's World Rankings, are the clear favorite in UEFA Pathway C. 

Slovakia (44th) and Romania (49th) remain contenders with Kosovo the biggest underdog (79th).

Türkiye have also proven their recent tournament pedigree during the 2024 UEFA European Championships, impressively reaching the quarterfinal stage.

• Arda Güler (Türkiye): This 21-year-old attacking midfielder took the world by storm as a teenager, earning a blockbuster move to Real Madrid, where he has carved out a starting role.
• Radu Drâgușin (Romania): Boasting previous experience across Italy's Serie A, this imposing Tottenham Hotspur center back is still just 24 years old.
• Stanislav Lobotka (Slovakia):The orchestrator of Napoli's midfield, Lobotka was a key piece of their impressive run to the Serie A title last season.
• Vedat Muriqi (Kosovo):Dominant in the air, Muriqi is back to his best this season for Mallorca, already netting 18 goals in 28 La Liga matches.

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