USA Opens World Cup Against Paraguay

The United States men's national soccer team will commence its FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on home soil against Paraguay on Friday, June 12, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California. This match marks the first time in over three decades that the U.S. will host a World Cup game, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. local time (01:00 GMT Saturday). The U.S. team, ranked 17th globally, enters the tournament as the highest-ranked team in Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkiye.

The U.S. squad features a strong attacking lineup, led by forward Christian Pulisic, who recently scored in a pre-tournament friendly against Senegal. Pulisic has accumulated 33 goals in 88 international appearances. However, the team has shown defensive vulnerabilities, recording only one clean sheet in its last 13 matches and conceding 11 goals in its previous four games. Paraguay, ranked 41st, is returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 and is known for its solid defensive structure, though it has struggled offensively, scoring 14 goals in 18 qualifying matches.

Statistical analysis by Opta Analyst indicates a 40.1% chance of victory for the U.S., while Paraguay has a 33.3% chance of winning, with a 26.6% probability of a draw. The U.S. holds a historical advantage in head-to-head encounters, having won five of their nine previous meetings. The tournament's expanded format will see 48 teams compete in 104 matches, with the top two teams from each of the 12 groups and the eight best third-placed teams advancing to a newly introduced round of 32.