Australia head coach: Playing against the hosts is an extraordinary challenge

Australia meet the United States on Friday night in their second World Cup 2026 group game, with Tony Popovic expecting a difficult night against one of the tournament hosts and their supporters.

Popovic told reporters before the match that Australia are up against a different kind of challenge, but also a big opportunity. He said his side will need to be better than they were against Turkey if they want the result they need.

The Australia coach added that his team believe they can cause problems for the United States and want to keep playing as if they belong on the biggest stages.

"We want to earn respect," Popovic said. "We know that through our performances we can put Australian football on the world map, and that is our aim."