Pulisic in injury doubt as USA host Australia in crucial World Cup Group D clash

Christian Pulisic is a major doubt for the United States as they host Australia in Seattle in their second World Cup 2026 Group D fixture, with coach Mauricio Pochettino confirming the forward is still recovering from a leg injury picked up in the opener against Paraguay.

Pochettino offered cautious optimism at his pre-match press conference on Thursday. “He’s evolving,” the coach said of Pulisic. “He’s much better from [last] Friday. We’ll see. At the moment, if he’s not available, he will be available for the next game. But I think he’s doing a massive effort trying to be ready.”

The United States go into the match on the back of a statement opening victory over Paraguay, a result that sent them to the top of Group D. Pulisic was central to that performance before the injury cut short his involvement, and his absence would represent a significant blow to the co-hosts’ attacking ambitions.

Australia arrive in Seattle with equal momentum. The Socceroos produced a strong display of their own in their opener, defeating Turkey thanks to goals from Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe. That result leaves them, like the United States, knowing that a second consecutive win would all but confirm a place in the round of 32.

With both sides carrying confidence from their opening fixtures and the stakes high in what amounts to a near-knockout contest in terms of group positioning, the match in Seattle shapes up as one of the standout ties of the group stage. The fitness of Pulisic — the most influential player in the United States squad — will be the defining team news question heading into kick-off.