Today's draw for the U-17 World Cup in Finland (Aug. 13-30) set up the USA with first-round games against South Korea (Aug. 14), Sierra Leone (Aug. 17) and Spain (Aug. 20).
The top two finishers in each of the four four-team groups advance to the quarterfinals of the 16-team tournament. Teams advancing from the USA's Group D meet the top finishers from Group C, which comprises Yemen, Portugal, Cameroon and Brazil.
The USA, the only team to have played in every Under-17 World Cup, celebrated its best finish in 1999, when the team finished fourth and Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley earned Golden Ball and Silver Ball honors, respectively.
In 2001, the Americans exited after losing all three of their first-round games, against Japan, France and Nigeria. France beat Nigeria in the final.
Group A
Finland, China, Mexico, Colombia
Group B
Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, Nigeria
Group C
Yemen, Portugal, Cameroon, Brazil
Group D
South Korea, United States, Spain, Sierra Leone