A snapshot of the Bay Area's 8 World Cup teams

Catching up on the World Cup before games start in the Bay Area next weekend? Here are the basics on the eight nations set to play group-stage matches in Santa Clara, before a Round of 32 match on July 1:

Algeria

FIFA ranking: 28

ELO ranking: 28

Coach: Vladimir Petković (Nationality: Bosnia and Herzegovina)

World Cup appearances: 2026 will be Algeria's fifth World Cup. Algeria has won the Africa Cup of Nations twice, in 1990 and 2019.

Best World Cup finish: Round of 16 in 2014 (lost against Germany in extra time 2-1).

Bay Area game: June 22 vs. Jordan, 8 p.m.

Australia

FIFA ranking: 27

ELO ranking: 27

Coach: Tony Popovic (Australia)

World Cup appearances: This is their seventh, qualifying for each tournament since 2006.

Best World Cup finish: Round of 16 (2006, 2022)

Bay Area game: June 25 vs. Paraguay, 7 p.m. (PT)

Austria

FIFA ranking: 23

ELO ranking: 23

Coach: Ralf Rangnick (Germany)

World Cup appearances: Austria has played in eight World Cups, but has not qualified since 1998 in France.

Best World Cup finish: Third place (1954)

Bay Area game: June 16 vs. Jordan, 9 p.m.

Jordan

FIFA ranking: 63

ELO ranking: 63

Coach: Jamal Sellami (Morocco)

World Cup appearances: 2026 will be Jordan's first World Cup appearance. Jordan hasn't won any important tournaments, but reached the finals of the Asian Cup in 2023 (lost 3-1 to Qatar).

Best World Cup finish: This is their first World Cup, ever.

Bay Area games: June 16 vs. Austria, 9 p.m.; June 22 vs. Algeria, 8 p.m.

Paraguay

FIFA ranking: 41

ELO ranking: 40

Coach: Gustavo Alfaro (Argentina)

World Cup appearances: This is their ninth, but first since 2010. They are two-time Copa America winners.

Best World Cup finish: Quarterfinals in 2010.

Bay Area games: June 19 vs. Turkey, 8 p.m.; June 25 vs. Australia, 7 p.m.

Qatar

FIFA ranking: 55

ELO ranking: 55

Coach: Julen Lopetegui (Spain)

World Cup appearances: This is their second; the first was an automatic spot as the host nation in 2022.

Best World Cup finish: 32nd, in 2022 (out of 32 teams)

Bay Area game: June 13 vs. Switzerland, noon

Switzerland

FIFA ranking: 19

ELO ranking: 19

Coach: Murat Yakin (Switzerland)

World Cup appearances (including 2026): This will be Switzerland's 13th appearance and sixth in a row.

Best World Cup finish: The Swiss reached the quarterfinals in 1934, 1938 and 1954.

Bay Area game: June 13 vs. Qatar, noon

Turkey

FIFA ranking: 22

ELO ranking: 13

Coach: Vincenzo Montella (Italy)

World Cup appearances: This is their third appearance, and first since 2002.

Best World Cup finish: In their only World Cup between 1954 and 2026, Turkey finished third, losing 1-0 to Brazil in a semifinal.

Bay Area game: June 19 vs. Paraguay, 8 p.m.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 5:49 AM.