Christian Pulisic will look to lead the USMNT in one of the friendlier groups at the tournament.

The top seed in Group D, the Americans welcomed Australia and Paraguay — manageable foes that they defeated in home friendlies this fall — and the winner of a March playoff between Türkiye, Romania, Slovakia and Kosovo.

And the requirement of a European team in each group denied the U.S. the chance to have beloved minnow Cape Verde in its group. The U.S. avoided some of the European teams looming as potential threats; Italy, Denmark, and Ukraine would head elsewhere.

The Stars and Stripes hope to become the first host nation to win the World Cup since France in 1998.