Somewhere in the U.S on Saturday morning, a man named Mike Grella is going to be watching a match he insists will not be close.
It starts at 3:00 am Perth time, and it will be worth every minute of lost sleep, partly for the football and partly for the chance to see Grella’s take on the Socceroos age badly.
Australia and the United States have only met a handful of times in the long history of the two football nations. However, they have never once met at a World Cup.
What does the U.S know about football anyway?
When you think of sports America is well-known for, MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL. That’s their big four, the ones that get all the attention worldwide. MLS, their football league, is never part of this conversation unless people are talking about Messi in Miami.
None of this decides a football match, of course. But it is useful context when an American pundit lectures Australia, a country at its sixth straight World Cup, on who belongs at this level.
Mike Grella, former MLS striker, now on the CBS Sports Golazo Network, spent the lead-up to the tournament dismantling Australia’s chances on air. He did not recognise a single name in the squad. He called the Socceroos the weakest team in the group. He said the United States fixture was a free bet.
His exact words, after claiming he had gone away and done the research: “I go look at their team, I don’t recognise any players in the team. I’m not kidding when I say this. What are they drinking over there? Because they have no shot of doing anything at the World Cup.”
“There’s no shot Australia could compete with the U.S. It’s the only way they can play is in defence and try to keep nil-nil. And that’s the only way.”
Then Australia beat Türkiye 2-0 in Vancouver, through Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, and the take started ageing by the hour.
Saturday’s matchup
Whoever wins on Saturday will likely proceed to the knockout round; for the loser, it will mean a must-win game in their next matchup to move on.
Australia goes into the tournament ranked higher than it has been since 2012, third among Asian nations behind only Japan and Korea Republic. But with 17 first-time World Cup players named in the squad, it’s no wonder many are underestimating the Socceroos.
The United States are favourites, and I guess fairly so given home-ground advantage, and they opened with a 4-1 win over Paraguay.
How to watch for free
SBS holds exclusive Australian rights to all 104 World Cup matches, live and free across SBS, SBS VICELAND, and SBS On Demand, with no subscription required.
Watch on free-to-air through SBS, or stream it on SBS On Demand through a smart TV, phone, tablet, or browser with a free account.
Download the app before Friday night so you are not fighting with a login at quarter to three. Set the alarm for 2:45 am, make the coffee, and settle in with a warm blanket before kick-off.
The Socceroos have a win on the board and an added incentive to make a point.
Saturday morning, 3:00 am. Set the alarm.
Match Details
- Match: Australia vs USA
- Date: Saturday, June 20th 2026
- Time: 3:00 am AWST (5:00 am AEST)
- Venue: Lumen Field, Seattle
- How to watch: Live and free on SBS and SBS On Demand
