The wait is nearly over. Football's biggest show gets underway this week in North America, and Australia's Socceroos are gearing up for their first FIFA World Cup match. The 26-man squad takes on Türkiye in Vancouver on 14 June for Australian viewers for the first group-stage game, and will then play co-hosts the United States in Seattle on 20 June and Paraguay on 26 June in the San Francisco Bay Area. Here's everything you need to know about Australia's team, its coach, its chances and who to watch.Who are the Socceroos?The Socceroos are Australia's men's national football team. After making their World Cup debut in 1974, Australia endured a 32-year wait before returning to the tournament in 2006. Australia has qualified for every World Cup since, making the 2026 tournament its sixth consecutive appearance.News that makes senseYour trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.This year's team features 17 players making their World Cup debut, including 18-year-old defender Lucas Herrington.Sydney-born and Italy-based attacker Cristian Volpato headlines the squad after a dramatic last-minute switch from Italy to Australia, along with 25-year-old uncapped striker Tete Yengi, while captain Mat Ryan and veteran Mathew Leckie head to a fourth World Cup.You can find the names of the entire squad here.Who is the coach?Tony Popovic played more than 50 matches for the Socceroos and was a key member of the team that reached the second round of the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He retired two years later and immediately changed gears to take up coaching, seeing successes at a string of domestic clubs.He was appointed to coach the Socceroos following the departure of Graham Arnold in 2024, and becomes one of only a handful of people to have both played and coached at World Cup.Which players should fans watch?Nestory Irankunda is considered one of the most exciting young talents in the team. The 20-year-old's speed and attacking flair have made him a rising star in Australian football.In 2024, he signed for European giant Bayern Munich from Adelaide United under a record A-League transfer fee, believed to be worth $5.5 million. He joined English Championship side Watford last year, scoring four goals in his debut season. Mohamed "Mo" Toure is regarded as one of Australia's brightest forward prospects. The young striker plays for English Championship side Norwich City, scoring 10 goals across 12 games in a breakout 2025/26 season. Volpato was one of the most talked-about selections in the squad. The Sydney-born midfielder represented Italy at youth level before committing to the Socceroos this year, after declining previous approaches.Jordan "Jordy" Bos has emerged as a promising and versatile young defender, enjoying a breakout season in the Netherlands last year.All the FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage on our World Cup pageHow to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 on SBSWatch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at our On Demand hubWhen the Socceroos matches startStanding at nearly 2m tall, Harry Souttar is a dominant force for the team's defence, who has only just become fit after a serious Achilles injury that saw him unable to play for nearly 500 days. He was a top performer at the last World Cup, making a critical 86th-minute slide tackle against Tunisia that secured the Socceroos' win and saw them progress to the Round of 16. How did Australia qualify?To qualify for the World Cup, Australia had to compete in eight matches played over almost two years and finish near the top of its Asian qualifying group.Drawing their first game to Japan, the Socceroos remained undefeated and officially booked their place in the tournament by finishing second behind Japan, after a 2-1 comeback win against Saudia Arabia last June. Which group are they in?Australia has been drawn into Group D, alongside Paraguay, Türkiye and tournament co-host the United States.The Socceroos will play each of those teams during the group stage. The top two teams in each group will automatically progress to the knockout rounds, while the eight best third-place teams will also advance.What are Australia's chances?Australia has advanced past the group stage twice, in 2006 and 2022. In 2006, the team progressed from a group featuring Brazil, Croatia and Japan. They were knocked out by Italy, who went on to win the tournament, in the Round of 16 in a 1-0 loss. The Socceroos again reached the Round of 16 in 2022.They were eliminated by a 2-1 defeat to eventual champions Argentina, led by Lionel Messi. While the Socceroos are not considered among the favourites to win the World Cup, Australia's recent World Cup performances suggest reaching the knockout rounds is a realistic ambition. Australia's best World Cup momentsAustralia's greatest World Cup campaigns came in 2006 and 2022.The last tournament, held in Qatar in 2022, marked the first time the Socceroos won two matches at a single World Cup tournament. After losing 4-1 to France, they recovered with wins over Tunisia and Denmark to advance to the next round.Australia's first-ever World Cup win, against Japan in 2006, is considered among the most memorable in Socceroos history.It featured the country's first goal, pulled off by Tim Cahill, who went on to become Australia's record scorer across three tournaments. Australia fought back from 1-0 down to defeat Japan 3-1 in a dramatic turnaround. The match delivered the nation's first ever World Cup goal, with Tim Cahill scoring twice in the closing minutes before John Aloisi sealed the victory.A controversial foul allowed Italy to score of a free-kick in the round of 16, a refereeing call that some Australian fans will never forget.Socceroos fixturesAustralia v Türkiye: Sunday, 14 June. Kick off 2pm (AEST)USA v Australia: Saturday, 20 June. Kick off 5am (AEST)Paraguay v Australia: Friday, 26 June. Kick off 12pm (AEST). You can watch all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 26™ LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE on SBS, SBS VICELAND and SBS On Demand.For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.