USA vs Germany: Preview and Prediction

June 6, 2026, 9:30 PM. Chicago. Soldier Field.
Friendly match

USA vs. Germany

Where to watch: MEGOGO

Injured: Richards - Undav (?), Neuer

USA vs. Germany: Betting odds

In the final friendly match for both teams before the 2026 World Cup, the USA will host Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago. The teams are close in the FIFA rankings – the Americans are 16th, the Germans 11th – and both have high expectations for the tournament. The hosts have home-field advantage, while Germany is banking on their status as four-time world champions, a legacy that has seen little recent success.

USA

Expectations continue to mount for the USA, who are co-hosting the World Cup with Canada and Mexico. However, repeating their historic semi-final run from the inaugural tournament in 1930 remains a tall order. The Stars and Stripes have appeared in eight of the last nine World Cups, missing out only on the 2018 edition. For coach Mauricio Pochettino, best known for his club roles at Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, this is his first World Cup in charge.

Having missed out on CONCACAF qualifiers as hosts, the USA have had a mixed record in their last nine friendlies. Five wins, one draw and three losses speak for themselves. A strong 2025 finale with wins over Japan (2-0) and Uruguay (5-1) has been followed by defeats against other World Cup participants. March brought back-to-back defeats to European teams Belgium (2-5) and Portugal (0-2). Last Sunday in Charlotte, they beat Senegal 3-2, continuing their winning streak against non-European opponents. The U.S. will now look to finish their preparations in top form before Group D begins against Paraguay, Australia and Turkey. UEFA team Germany awaits them in the tournament's first match on June 13. Historical results against Germany rarely favor the Americans; their last win was a 2-1 friendly in June 2015.

Germany

After early-season group exits in 2018 and 2022, Germany are looking to regain global recognition and become only the second country after Brazil to win the World Cup five times. They have failed to reach the knockout stages since lifting the trophy in 2014, but under Julian Nagelsmann there is hope that the progress shown at Euro 2024 can be continued. The quarter-final exit to eventual champions Spain still stings.

Qualification for 2026 proved easy after an early-season defeat to Slovakia. Germany won their remaining five matches to top the group, ahead of Slovakia, Northern Ireland and Luxembourg, finishing with a 6-0 thrashing of their first-ever winners in November 2025. At 38, Nagelsmann will become the youngest coach in charge of a final. Germany have started an eight-game winning streak in all competitions, scoring 27 goals and conceding five. Recent friendlies have brought victories over Switzerland (4-3) and Ghana (2-1) before a 4-0 thrashing of Finland, with Undav scoring twice.

Germany are the clear favourites on Saturday, having won five of their last seven meetings. Their chances of finally reaching the group stage look even stronger. They open against Curacao on June 14, before facing tougher tests against Ivory Coast and Ecuador in Group E.

USA vs. Germany: Predicted Lineups

Richards missed the match against Senegal and may be out of form. Undav, who scored twice against Finland, is out with an injury that is not considered serious but puts his availability in doubt. Neuer continues to recover. Havertz, who scored in last weekend's Champions League final, joined the team on Tuesday and is expected to play from the bench.

USA vs. Germany: Author's Prediction

Both teams have scored in recent friendlies, and over 2.5 goals is again a possibility. Despite home-zone advantage for the USA, Germany should win.